A combined team of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police has foiled a simultaneous attack of armed robbers on Abaji Divisional Police headquarters and First Bank Plc in Abaji, near Abuja.
The hoodlums numbering about 15 were said to have been armed with dynamites to attack the police station and the first generation bank.
Display of dynamites used on the bank
They were, however, confronted by the daring security team which engaged them in a fierce gun duel.
Three of the suspected robbers were arrested while three others died, including a cop and one of the suspects set ablaze by an irate mob.
The incident, according to SP Josephine Adeh, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), FCT Command, occurred on Thursday at about 5:00.p.m.
CP Benneth Igweh examining the extent of damage
“The security forces engaged the armed robbers in an intense gun duel, forcing them to scamper to safety with various degrees of bullet wounds, as the security forces succeeded in apprehending three suspects, namely, Usman (surname yet unknown), who was reported to be the gang leader; Nuhu Musa, 41 ‘m’ of Kogi State; and Muhammed Aminu, 25 ‘m’ of Abaji, with grave degrees of bullet injuries, while a yet-to-be-identified suspect was set ablaze by an irate mob at the scene after being neutralised by the security forces.
Ravaged front of the bank
“One police operative and the gang leader hit by a bullet during the gun duel, were rushed to the hospital, and the doctor on duty confirmed them dead, while others are still receiving treatment.
“While search operation is ongoing to apprehend fleeing suspects with bullet injuries, the Commissioner of Police FCT, CP Benneth Igweh, lauds the effectiveness of the combined operation and reaffirms the command’s unflinching commitment to ensuring that FCT remains uninhabitable for criminals, noting that the safety of the residents of FCT is non-negotiable,” the statement read.
