FCT: How Police Commissioner Led Men To Rescue Abducted Residents From Bandits

The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Commissioner of Police Benneth Igweh has led his men to rescue some Abuja residents abducted from their homes by bandits.

Numbering 20, those rescued by the police were reported to have been kidnapped on Sunday by the criminals in Dawaki, a community near Kubwa, FCT suburb.

According to the report, the bandits had raided houses on Frank Opara Street, abducting many people including men and women.

Tunde Abdulrahman, the Chairman of Dawaki Rock Heaven Community, said the gun men numbering over 50 launched the attack on around 8 pm on Sunday.

Abdulrahim said the armed men, numbering about 50, invaded the community and broke into about six houses.

On learning about the attack through a distress call placed to the command by some well-meaning residents, Igwe was said to have led some of his men to the area.

The spokesman of the command, Josephine Adeh, a Superintendent of Police said the commissioner engaged the criminals in a gun battle on arrival at the community.

He said Igweh and his men displayed “remarkable bravery and coordination” which led to the rescue of the abductees.

The statement: “In an immediate and strategic response to a distress call on the attack by unknown gunmen in Dawaki on May 19, 2024, at about 11.30pm, the operatives of the FCT Police Command, led by the Commissioner of Police, CP Igweh, himself, swiftly mobilised to the scene.

“Displaying remarkable bravery and coordination, the police, in synergy with local hunters, advanced on the assailants, tactically ambushing them at Ushafa Hill via Bwari and Shishipe Hills via Mpape.

“While one of the rescued victims is still in the hospital receiving medical attention, the Commissioner of Police, FCT, reaffirms the command’s steadfast dedication to maintaining peace and security in the territory, as search operations are ongoing to rescue other hostages who fled the scene during the shootout.”

Following the decision of the FCDA to step up security in and around the nation’s capital following repeated bandits attacks early this year, close watchers of the city insist that the problem of kidnapping has drastically reduced.