A group of armed men suspected to be bandits launched a kidnapping attempt in Guto village, a border community in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
According to a statement by the spokesperson of the Command, SP Josephine Adeh, on Thursday, operatives of the FCT Police engaged the attackers in a fierce shootout.
It was gathered that the incident occurred around 1:10 a.m. when about 30 gunmen stormed the community and attempted to abduct a resident and members of his family.
“A distress call was immediately sent to the police.
“Responding swiftly, operatives from the Bwari Division, backed by personnel of the Inspector-General of Police Special Intervention Squad (SIS), raced to the scene,” the statement said.
The spokesperson explained that during the exchange, police operatives shot dead two members of the criminal gang, forcing the others to retreat into the surrounding bushes and rocky hills.
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She noted that the victory came at a heavy cost, adding that one police officer was fatally hit by gunfire.
He was rushed to the Bwari General Hospital, where he was confirmed dead.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, has deployed additional personnel to the area following the attack and ordered a full-scale investigation to track down the fleeing suspects.
He said normalcy had been restored in the community.
Josephine described the fallen officer as one who “paid the supreme price in the line of duty.”