There was tension on Thursday as a group of miscreants attacked, injured and took hostage some members of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Taskforce team at Gaduwa District of Abuja.
While the injured Police officer and some of the attacked were said to have been rushed to hospitals, the officials taken hostage were later released, following a rapid response from the rescue team of FCT Police Command, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police for Operations, Bernard Igwe.
Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to FCT Minister, Ikharo Attah, who was on another ministerial duty at flood-devastated areas in Lokogoma District, but later responded to a distressed call from the attacked team, has confirmed the incident.
Attah said some officials of the Development Control attached to the Taskforce, who went to Gaduwa community to mark for demolition some illegal houses springing up indiscriminately in the community, were heavily resisted and attacked by some persons bearing different dangerous weapons.
While he commended some indigenous youth who helped in calming the situation and worked for the release of the hostages, he also noted that, but for the quick intervention of the re-enforced rescue team, the miscreants would have unleashed more mayhem on the team.
“I was sent somewhere by the Minister and before I could arrive the scene, the Police officer who was badly injured on the head and others had been rushed to hospital.
“Those who were held hostage were rescued by rescue team led by DC Bernard Igwe. The area where the indigenous people stay was not marked. The Police will determine what happens to those who were arrested,” he said.
