Bandits Attack Kuje Prison, Abuja

There is apprehension among residents of Kuje in the Federal Capital Territory following the repeated sounds of gunshots being heard in the area.

There are fears among residents that the correctional center is under attack by armed men.

A resident of the area, Joshua Friday, told our correspondent that the shootings have been ongoing for the last 20 minutes.

He said the situation has caused panic in the area.

He said, “Currently in Kuje and the shooting has been going on for almost 20 minutes now. I can’t tell you what is happening whether it is a robbery or not but we have been hearing that gunshots repeatedly around the area the prison is located. We are all scared as I speak to you. ”

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, Umar Abubakar asked our correspondent to call him back.

Efforts to get the police spokesperson in the FCT, Josephine Adeh, proved abortive as calls to her line were not answered. She has also not responded to messages sent to her.

A resident of the area, who spoke with TheCable on Tuesday night, said some men were seen running through the school within the neighbourhood of the prison.

“There has been serious shooting from the prison area for over 30 minutes. A number of unknown men were seen running through the Government Secondary School premises from only God knows where,” the resident, who didn’t want to be named, said.

“We don’t know who they are. There was a sound like collapsing zinc and before we knew it, some men were seen running through the back, down to the empty school land.”

The development comes shortly after an attack on the security team attached to President Muhammadu Buhari.

The attack on the security team, which occurred in Katsina earlier on Tuesday, left two persons injured.

However, the president was not in the convoy when the gunmen opened fire.

The security team was on its way to Katsina to prepare for a later visit by Buhari to Daura, his hometown, for the forthcoming sallah celebration.