Armed robbers in the early hours of Wednesday morning stormed Efab Global Estate in the Idu Industrial Area of Abuja, attacked security guards and robbed residents.
Eyewitnesses said the gunmen, estimated to be more than 20, launched a coordinated midnight assault, shooting indiscriminately to cause panic.
A resident, who requested anonymity for security reasons, told newsmen on Thursday that the attackers overpowered estate security, “macheting five guards before proceeding to rob six targeted homes.”
The assailants reportedly made away with cash, mobile phones, jewellery, and other valuables.
“We were woken by the sound of gunshots and screams. It was terrifying. The gunmen were over 20 and overpowered our security guards. They macheted five of our security guards. The criminals stole cash, mobile phones, jewellery and other valuables. In some cases, victims were coerced into transferring money to designated accounts under duress,” the resident recounted.
A statement from the estate’s security committee, obtained by our correspondent, confirmed the scale of the assault:
“In a coordinated operation, about 40 armed individuals linked to an organised criminal group infiltrated the Efab Global estate in Idu. Thereafter, the gunmen conducted a siege around the estate and shot randomly to commence their operation, causing panic, fear and confusion.”
The statement added that the police were not immediately alerted due to the intense fear among residents, but were eventually contacted around 4:00 a.m. and arrived later.
As of the time of filing this report, FCT police spokesperson Josephine Adeh had yet to respond to inquiries.
