A vigilante official has been gunned down while another sustained bullet wounds during a fierce gun battle between kidnappers and security operatives in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
A resident of Kpaduma, Danjuma Sheduza Moses, said the kidnappers invaded the Kpaduma community in AMAC around 10:47 pm on Monday and attempted to whisk away some residents.
He said upon hearing gunshots, the residents alerted the vigilante, who responded alongside the anti-kidnap police operatives and engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel.
The kidnappers were said to have abandoned their victims and fled as a result of heavy firepower, but a vigilante official died on the spot.
Reacting, the Spokesperson of the FCT police command, SP Adeh Josephine, confirmed the incident, saying the FCT police command received a distress call around 9:15 p.m.
She said the FCT CP, Saka Ajao Adewale, personally led a response team comprised of the DCP and ACP in charge of Rapid Respond Squad and the DPO of Asokoro division, including the vigilantes, to engage the kidnappers.
“And on sighting the police team, the assailants opened fire, using two female victims as human shields to escape. While the police team continued to engage them in a fierce battle and successfully rescued the two female victims unhurt,” she said.
“Regrettably, two local security personnel from the community vigilante sustained gunshot injuries. And they were immediately evacuated to the National Hospital, where one was confirmed dead by a medical doctor. At the same time, the other victim remains under medical care and is responding to treatment.”
Josephine said the Commissioner of Police, who commended the bravery of the officers involved, extended his heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased vigilante.
