A late-night kidnapping attempt in Guto village, Bwari Area Council of the FCT, ended in a deadly exchange of gunfire after police officers moved in to stop a gang of armed men attempting to abduct a resident and his family.
The incident happened around 1:10 a.m. on Thursday when the FCT Police Command received a distress call that about 30 attackers had invaded the quiet outskirts community.
According to a statement signed by the FCT Police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, officers from the Bwari Division’s Surveillance Team, supported by operatives of the IGP Special Intervention Squad (SIS), raced to the scene and immediately came under heavy fire from the kidnappers.
The operatives returned fire, engaging the attackers in a fierce gun battle that led to the death of two members of the gang, while the others fled into the nearby bushes and hills.
However, the operation came at a painful cost. One police officer suffered a gunshot wound during the shootout and was rushed to Bwari General Hospital, where a doctor confirmed his death. The Command described the fallen officer as having “paid the supreme price in the line of duty.”
FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Miller G. Dantawaye, has since deployed additional officers to Guto village to stabilize the area and prevent any attempt by the attackers to regroup. He also ordered a thorough investigation aimed at tracking down the fleeing suspects.
Normalcy has reportedly returned to the community as security presence has been reinforced. The police assured residents that efforts to clamp down on criminal elements across the territory remain ongoing.
