‘Herdsmen’ invade Abuja Estate, kidnap 10

A band of kidnappers dressed as herdsmen on Sunday evening invaded Sagwari Layout Estate in Dutse, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory FCT in Bwari Area Council.

It was gathered that the kidnappers took eight residents and then proceeded to abduct two staff of a nearby hotel.

The gun-wielding marauders who invaded the estate at about 7:30pm, were said to have shepherded their victims to the nearby hills behind the estate.

An eyewitness said efforts by some security personnel and the estate security to go after the kidnappers were fiercely resisted by the bandits who had superior firepower and were firing from vantage positions atop the hills.

The FCT Police Command had at the weekend assured residents of Abuja particularly those living in Ushafa, Bwari and environs, of their safety as additional police personnel have been deployed to ensure that security threats are nipped in the bud.

Ushafa is just about five minutes from the estate in Dutse.

FCT Police Commissioner, CP Haruna Garba had last Wednesday visited areas in Bwari following reports of kidnapping attacks, to review the security situation of the area.

The Command consequently warned individuals to refrain from spreading unverified information to avoid inciting unnecessary panic among residents.

Vanguard recalls that on December 24, bandits had invaded Garam community, which is five minutes drive from Bwari in the FCT, killing a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, while kidnapping 13 other persons.

On December 28, bandits again invaded Kuduru, in FCT, kidnapping 18 persons.