About 20 people have reportedly been abducted by gunmen in military uniform numbering about 50, who invaded the Dawaki community in Abuja.

Daily Trust reported that Dawaki, a heavily populated neighbourhood, where thousands of workers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) live, is located opposite the Gwarinpa Estate, the biggest organised single settlement in Nigeria, located along the Abuja-Kubwa Expressway.

According to the publication, the bandits armed with different categories of weapons, stormed Dawaki around 7.30 pm on Sunday, May 19, and operated up till around 8.30 pm.

This occurred after kidnappers also invaded Shagari Quarters in Dei-Dei, which is about five kilometres away on the same Abuja-Kubwa Expressway and abducted the family of a Customs officer.

Confirming the development, a resident of Dawaki, Hosea Christopher, said the bandits abducted 17 residents from three houses and on the street along Fulani Junction. He said five of the abductees escaped while being taken towards a mountain on the outskirts of the area.

Hosea also said that while the bandits were heading to a forest around the Usuma Dam, they were confronted by DSS operatives. He added;

“They immediately opened fire on the security men but there was corresponding response. Despite the fierce offensive by the DSS operatives, the bandits were able to escape.”

Abel James, a resident who escaped abduction, said, the attackers “wore uniforms and had face masks.” He said;

“But I doubted their genuineness when they started shooting sporadically. As they moved towards the community, I headed into a house under construction and climbed upstairs from where I kept looking at their operation, with gunshots as they were leaving towards the hill.

“We later learnt that two of the gunmen were captured by the security men that included DSS and soldiers who joined them later around the Usuma Dam, where the fire exchange took place.”

FCT Commissioner of Police (CP), Benneth Igweh, who confirmed the incident on Monday, May 20, said he led the rescue operation on Sunday around Ushafa-Shishipe through the Mpape hills.

He said that the operation followed a distress call after an attack on some residents of Dawaki by gunmen. He said;

“We advanced towards the assailants, tactically ambushing them at Ushafa Hill via Bwari down to Shishipe, resulting in a fierce gun battle with the hoodlums, which forced them to flee with bullet wounds and we rescued some of the abducted victims.”

Igweh further revealed that the rescued victims are in the hospital receiving medical attention.