Insecurity: Bandits raid Abuja estate, scores injured
By Ndukaku Ihe
Residents of Efab Global Estate, Idu in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, were thrown into pandemonium as bandits, suspected to be herdsmen, numbering over 40 stormed the premises, macheting about 5 security men and shooting sporadically.
The residents told newmen that the incident occurred in wee hours of the night and the operation lasted for about three hours with six houses attacked.
The Chairman, Board of Trustee of the Estate, Bola Adurashkin, explained that phones were stolen,and a resident was forced to transfer about N700,000.
According to him, the residents were so scared to even call the police, initially.
He said: “This morning, we got an alert on our estate platform that they were shooting going on around three minutes to four in the morning, that was when I saw it.
“Because I live at the other end of the estate, so I didn’t hear the gunshots and all that that were going on. Immediately, I called the Chairman of the Security Committee, who confirmed that they’ve alerted the police and that the police were on their way.
“I said, why didn’t they call the police on time? They said everybody was scared and was agitated. So, even while all this was going on from, say, past two to even four, nobody even thought of calling the police because everybody was finding a way to safeguard themselves, hide under their bed and all that. It was around past four that somebody summoned up the courage to alert the police.
“I don’t know if other people did, but the Security Committee alerted the police around past four. Something about twenty or twenty-five minutes past four in the morning, the police were here.
“But you know, this is the tail end of the estate, so it took the police time to locate the actual spot where this happened.
“But with the aid of some of our security men that were not injured, they were able to come here, but before they got here, the people had gone away. I have lived in this environment for fourteen years. We have never had this kind of situation.
“But little thefts here and there, yes. But having armed men with guns to this number, I mean, this is the first time it’s happening. And we are very security-cautious here.
“Then controlling these headsmen. Because these are pure Hausa boys. They are all Nigerians, quite all right.”
An Assistant Commissioner of Police, Area Command, Life Camp, Abuja, Harrison Orurruo, who was on-the-spot assessment, said the bandits would be apprehended.
Orurruo, also, said that with the collaboration of the estate residents, a police post would be stationed, to forestall future occurrences.
He said: I will start by sympathizing with people who are residing here, going by what played out. It is unprecedented, just like the chairman said and the BOT said.
“The most important thing here is that we have acknowledged that security is everybody is business.
“When the incident happened and we got information, it was around 4 in the morning, and I am glad they acknowledged the fact that we were here in less than 25 minutes.
“Unfortunately, they have done what they had in mind to do and they had left. But in every crime scenario, there is always a lead.
“We will be on them. We have taken all we need for forensic and the rest of it, and I bet you we will bring them to book. Unfortunately, too, if you take a look around the estate, it is acknowledged that it is a very big estate, over 400 buildings.
“We will think in the direction of establishing, possibly, a police post within here to bring police much closer. But that should be in agreement with the estate management. Take a look at that place.
