The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command yesterday said its operatives  foiled an attempted kidnap of 19 persons by gunmen on Pei-leilei Road along Kwali area of Abuja.

The command said the victims were rescued on Wednesday in a shootout with the kidnappers following a distress call from people in the area.

Police public relations officer in charge of the FCT command Mariam Yusuf, who made this known, said the kidnappers abducted three persons during the operation but that the police have intensified efforts to rescue the victims unhurt.

Yusuf in the statement said: “In swift response to a distress call, the FCT Police Command rescued 19 persons from being kidnapped on Pei-leilei Road along Kwali axis on Wednesday 25th November,2020.

“The successful rescue operation was conducted by a joint team of Police operatives from the Command who responded promptly to the occasion and engaged the heavily armed hoodlums in a fierce gun duel.

“However, concerted effort is being made to rescue the remaining three  victims in custody of the hoodlums who escaped into the bordering forest.”