(AK-47 rifle. Photo by The Trumphet News)
FCT Police operatives have rescued a couple from a kidnapping attempt in the Byazhin area of Abuja following a gun battle that lasted over 30 minutes, with the suspects eventually fleeing into surrounding bushes with gunshot wounds.
Acting on credible intelligence about suspected kidnappers in the vicinity of the Redeemed Church area near Paze Hills, officers from the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit moved to the location at around 12:34 a.m. on Friday.
On arrival, they found armed suspects attempting to force their way into a residential property.
The suspects opened fire on the police team upon sighting them, prompting a fierce exchange of gunfire.
The operatives successfully repelled the attackers and rescued the intended victims identified as Mr. Samson and his wife without injury.
The couple was subsequently taken to the General Hospital in Gwarinpa for treatment of trauma-related distress and placed under protective custody.
Items recovered at the scene included an AK-47 rifle, a magazine, and seven rounds of live ammunition abandoned by the fleeing suspects.
FCT Commissioner of Police Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi commended the operatives for their courage and professionalism, and directed increased surveillance and patrols in the area to deter further criminal activity.
He also called on residents to stay alert and report suspicious activity promptly, sharing the command’s emergency contact numbers 08032003913 and 07057337653 for public use.
The operation forms part of broader intensified security efforts by the FCT Police Command to tackle kidnapping, banditry, and violent crime across Abuja and its surrounding areas.