Police foil kidnap attempt as gunmen lay siege to FCT community

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command says its officers foiled an attempted abduction in Guto, a border settlement in the Bwari Area Council, after a large group of armed men stormed the community in the early hours of Wednesday.

According to the police, around 30 attackers descended on the village and tried to break into a home before security operatives arrived. Spokesperson Josephine Adeh said officers from the Bwari Surveillance Unit and the Inspector-General of Police’s Special Intervention Squad were swiftly deployed once a distress call was received.

The gunmen reportedly opened fire as soon as they spotted the approaching officers, prompting a fierce exchange of gunfire. Two members of the gang were killed, while the remainder fled into the surrounding bushland and rocky areas.

Adeh confirmed that one police officer was struck by a bullet during the confrontation. He was taken to Bwari General Hospital but was later pronounced dead.

The FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Miller Dantawaye, praised the officers involved for their quick response and bravery. He described the fallen officer as a dedicated professional who lost his life while protecting others. Dantawaye also assured residents that operations to flush out criminal groups across the territory would be intensified.

The Commissioner thanked Guto residents for their vigilance and encouraged communities in the FCT to promptly report suspicious movements using the command’s emergency hotlines.

The incident adds to a string of security breaches that have plagued Bwari Area Council, one of the capital’s most vulnerable corridors, where several villages continue to face recurring threats from violent criminal groups.