By Uche Amunike
Families resident in the Mpape Phase 2 community situated near the highbrow Maitama District Abuja, have been living in fear ever since they received a notice sent to their community by suspected armed robbers.
The notice which was obviously sent to keep the community at alert for an impending attack stated that each resident must have at least N100,000 cash or face the option of being killed.
Even though they did not signify a particular date for their planned attack, every household presently lives in fear.
In the letter which they titled ‘Business Operations’, they hinted that the Nigerian Army and other security agencies will not be able to stop them from carrying out their attack.
It read: ‘Hello friends, this is to inform you that we are coming for an operation very soon in this area. By this letter you are directed to have at least N100,000 ready to make it easy for us or you face dire consequences. If you like to call the police or army, nobody can stop us. Yours, The Arch.’
The Federal Capital Territory Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mariam Yusuf, while reacting to this development urged members of the community not to panic and advise them to be vigilant at all times and encouraged them to report any suspicious movement they notice to security agencies, while assuring them that the police was on top of the situation.
Recall that Abuja which was usually known for its calmness and relative peace has joined other states in facing security challenges which ranges from banditry to herdsmen attack and even kidnapping.
For a while now the activities of criminals has rocked the FCT especially the satellite towns.
Residents have severally been abducted and killed and there has been series of reports on imminent attacks and planned invasions of the city even by boko Haram insurgents.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba recently raised an alarm that Boko Haram terrorists were planning to attack public formations in Abuja and even the Plateau State capital,
Jos.
Even though such attacks have not been witnessed since he raised that alarm, other criminal elements have been on operation in many parts of the territory.
Sometime in May about 20 gunmen invaded the El Rufai Estate in Kuchiko Relocation Development Area in Bwari Area Council, Abuja, with sophisticated weapons, overpowered the security guard and succeeded in invading the place and succeeded in abducting their victims and made away with them to an unknown destination.
They attempted to abduct another household, but soldiers from the Defence College, Bwari saved the situation after exchange of fire between the two groups.
The Kwakwashi community was also attacked by bandits leaving one person killed and thirteen kidnapped.
The young Blessing Otunla who graduated from the University of Abuja was also a victim of these bandits. The raped and killed her and dumped her naked body inside the gutter at Student Village in Iddo Sarki, Abuja in May.
She had travelled from here to Abuja to see the result before she met her death.
Residents have been advised to stay vigilant and stay safe, while ensuring to report all suspicious movements to the police..
