21 abducted FCT residents rescued
Twenty-one residents abducted by kidnappers at Byazhin Across in the Bwari Area Council of the FCT have been rescued following a fierce gun battle between joint security operatives and the suspects. CP Miller G. Dantawaye, who briefed newsmen at the command over the weekend, said the victims were rescued by a joint team comprising Police […]
FCT
Twenty-one residents abducted by kidnappers at Byazhin Across in the Bwari Area Council of the FCT have been rescued following a fierce gun battle between joint security operatives and the suspects.
CP Miller G. Dantawaye, who briefed newsmen at the command over the weekend, said the victims were rescued by a joint team comprising Police Anti-Kidnapping officers, the Army Guards Brigade, and the Department of State Services (DSS) at Gauraka Forest in Niger State.
He explained that the operatives launched a coordinated search and rescue mission following credible intelligence that the suspects, fleeing security operations in Niger State, had crossed into the Gidan Dogo and Kweri Forests in Kaduna State with their victims.
According to the CP, as the operatives approached the hideout, the suspects opened fire, triggering an intense gun duel that lasted over an hour and a half.
“Through superior tactics and firepower, the operatives successfully subdued the kidnappers, neutralizing some of the suspects during the exchange of fire,” he said.
Two suspects, identified as Nura Sani and Abdul Bello, were arrested, while other gang members escaped into the surrounding hills and forests with gunshot wounds.
CP Miller noted that the operation led to the rescue of victims comprising 10 males and 11 females (totalling 21) who had been abducted from the Byazhin District of the FCT, as well as the Gauraka and Tafa areas of Niger State.
He listed items recovered to include one AK-47 rifle (breech number 90-17147), a magazine loaded with 20 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, and one locally-made firearm.
The CP added that the rescued victims were rushed to the hospital for medical attention. He also appealed to the press and social media users to exercise patience when reporting sensitive security incidents.
“The premature or unverified dissemination of such information can endanger the lives of victims and compromise the safety of officers actively involved in rescue missions,” the CP warned.
Abuja Metro reports that last Friday night, suspected kidnappers invaded Byazhin Across in the Bwari metropolis, whisking away 16 residents, including the wife of a local vigilante member.