The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has rescued four persons abducted by suspected kidnappers following a fierce gun battle during a rescue operation in the Mpape district area in Abuja.
According to the police, the operation was launched after security authorities received reports that armed men invaded a residential community late on July 8, abducting four residents after attacking the area.
Investigators said the assailants shot two residents during the attack before escaping with the hostages through the Jikoko Hills towards the Ushafa Forest.
The injured victims were rushed to hospital for treatment. One of them later died from gunshot wounds, while the second victim, who sustained injuries to the leg, is receiving medical care.
The FCT Police Command immediately deployed operatives from its Anti-Kidnapping Unit alongside personnel of the Police Mobile Force to track the kidnappers.
After an intensive pursuit that lasted into the early hours of July 10, security operatives intercepted the suspects around the Jikoko Hills as they attempted to move the hostages deeper into the Ushafa Forest.
The kidnappers reportedly opened fire upon sighting the advancing police team, triggering a gun battle. The operatives returned fire, forcing the suspects to abandon the victims before fleeing into the surrounding forest.
All four abducted victims were rescued without injury and safely reunited with their families.
Police said a manhunt is continuing for the fleeing suspects, with security teams combing nearby forests and surrounding communities to apprehend those responsible for the attack.
The Commissioner of Police for the FCT has assured residents that efforts are ongoing to arrest the suspects and bring them to justice, while urging members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements or criminal activities to security agencies.
