No fewer than 11 persons have been kidnapped in the Sagwari Estate Layout, in the Dutse-Alhaji area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, after gunmen reportedly dressed as military men, invaded the community on Sunday, at about 7:30pm.
PUNCH Metro also gathered that the gunmen attacked two gated residential areas, kidnapping a total of nine persons, including a woman and her four children, before invading a nearby hotel and kidnapping the hotel receptionist and barman, who were on duty at the time.
An eyewitness, Wilfred Akikayo, who spoke with one of our correspondents, described the kidnappers’ operation as strategic because they raided few houses swiftly and escaped with their victims.
“The kidnappers stormed Sagwari Estate Layout at about 7:30-8:00pm. It seemed well-planned as they seemed to have already planned their exit through the mountain top behind the estate.
“Actually, I was a witness to the act, and we gave the kidnappers some chase, but they had already moved the victims into the hills behind the estate. We had to wait for police reinforcement before venturing after them, which took about 20 minutes before three armed MOPOL men showed up.
“Their modus operandi was to knock on doors and whoever opened was kidnapped. A lady ran from one of the houses into a hotel in the estate and chasing her there was what led to the kidnapping of two of the hotel staff.
“The DSS was later informed and some showed up about 30 minutes later, and they fired gunshots into the hills possibly to get a response by the kidnappers so as to engage them but they did not get that.
“The FCT used to be the safest place in Nigeria but now, it is a scary place as terrorists are beginning to gain momentum unfortunately as they keep edging closer to the city. We urge the Federal Government to intensify their efforts to bringing lasting peace and solutions as regards kidnapping and one chance”, he said.
A security guard in one of the residences, who gave his name only as John, narrated that the gunmen beat and tied him up, but that he managed to escape when the kidnappers got distracted while trying to round up other victims.
“They came here at about 7 pm. I went out to buy something, so as I was about to lock the gate, they pushed it and entered. They tore my clothes and tied me up, before entering the house. Then, they brought out the people and made all of us sit down outside. So, while they were distracted, I managed to escape.
“In all, they took five people in this compound. Four children and one woman. The woman is the mother to all the children. Her apartment was the only one they entered in the compound. Three of us escaped, one pastor coming down from the mountain, a guy in the other compound, and myself. They took the others up to the mountain.”
A staff member of the hotel, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that the gunmen abducted the hotel’s receptionist and bar man, adding that although the community vigilante and security operatives had tried to search the mountains, the abductors and their victims could not be traced.
“Yesterday, at about 7:30 in the evening, I sat down here when a lady ran down into the compound. When I asked her what was pursuing her, she was pointing out. I asked what was happening, but she could not say anything, she was dumbfounded. She was trying to explain, and when I came back to check the gate, I discovered that some people had run inside. They entered with their ammunition and some dressed in military uniforms and they had weapons. So, we followed through the back to go and hide. So while we were hiding there, they entered the reception. “When I eventually came out from where I was hiding, I discovered that the receptionist and the barman who was watching television at the reception were missing”, he said.
According to him, security guards in the area, with the joint efforts of policemen rallied themselves to follow the trail of the kidnappers after they had kidnapped four persons from another compound, making a total of 11, but found no traces of the kidnappers or their victims.
“They split themselves. Some were in one compound, while the others entered the opposite compound. The lady who opened the gate for them in the compound was the one who ran down here. She did not know who they were, so when they knocked, she opened the gate. But once she did, they just entered the compound and did what they wanted to do. It was when they couldn’t find her that they came here to find her, and then they took the two people.
“We entered the bushes because we suspected they had taken the mountainside, but we could not find them. The police also came and joined the search, but we still did not find them. One of the persons they kidnapped was a pastor, but he managed to escape because they were trying to kidnap more people, so he took advantage”, he added.
When one of our correspondents contacted the spokesperson, FCT Police Command, Josephine Adeh, she said she was not aware of the development and would not want to make any comment.
“I do not know anything, because I am conducting a screening. I cannot give you any response now. I am not aware, and I have not been briefed of anything.”
