An unidentified number of persons were kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Abaji in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja in the early hours of Thursday.
Kidnappings have been a frequent occurrence in Abaji area council located on the fringe of Abuja, along the Lokoja Road axis.
Residents of the area, who spoke with The Nation said they woke up to sporadic shooting.
There was so much noise and pandemonium and confusion and by the time we knew it some persons had been carried away. I cannot say for now the exact number of persons that were kidnapped but we hope security agents would bring them back safely,” a resident of the community told our reporter.
Meanwhile the FCT Command of the Nigeria Police said it has launched an operation to rescue the abducted persons.
A statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Anjuguri Manzah, on Thursday evening read, “The FCT Police Command has launched an operation to rescue some persons who were kidnapped in the early hours of Thursday in Abaji.
“The Command wishes to assure FCT residents of its commitment to rescue the victims unhurt and arrest the suspects.
“Meanwhile, on Thursday 9th July, 2020 at about 1400hrs a detachment of police operatives from the Command Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad on another operation arrested two suspected kidnappers at Tungan Maje forest in Gwagwalada Area Council.
“The suspects, Abdullahi Mohammed ‘m’ 29 years and Adamu Musa ‘m’ 26 years, were arrested in possession of one fabricated revolver pistol with the capacity to discharge AK47 ammunition, one Dane gun, eight rounds of 7.62mm live ammunitions and one Itel phone, which have been recovered as exhibits.
“The investigation is on-going.”
Meanwhile, the Rule of Law and Anti-corruption (ROLAC) programme has commended the FCT Command for submitting monthly reports on arrests and cooperating with magistrates.
Also a statement by Manzah said this was when ROLAC was on oversight visit to police formations, in compliance with sections 33 and 34 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
“Speaking on Wednesday at the handing over ceremony of the second Interview and Statement Taking Room donated to the Command by ROLAC, the Justice Component Manager for ROLAC, Dr. Badejogbin Oluwatoyin applauded the Nigeria Police Force, FCT Command for its partnership and availing the organisation with the opportunity to implement its programmes.
“The Commissioner of Police FCT, CP Bala Ciroma, who was represented at the event by the Deputy Commissioner of Police Department of Investigation, DCP Abdul Yari-Lafia lauded ROLAC for partnering with Command in providing the Interview and Statement Taking facility which he noted will be useful in the interrogation of suspects and recording of their confessional statements.
“He assured the organisation that the statement taking facility sited at the premises of the Command Special Anti-Robbery Squad and Wuse Police Division will be put to optimum use.
“The facility was commissioned by the representative of the Chief Judge of FCT, Chief Magistrate Akanni Idayat. Also in attendance was the Secretary of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee (ACJMC), Sulayman Dawodu,” the statement read.

By Nicholas Kalu