Molly Kilete, Abuja
Seven policemen on security patrol duty have been killed in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The policemen, comprising four personnel of the Police Mobile Force and three conventional policemen, also had their weapons carted way by armed men who attacked them.
The incident happened on Monday night, at Galadimawa Village, a satellite town in the FCT.
Daily Sun gathered that the policemen, who were on stop-and-search duty in the area were attacked by the gunmen said to number over 20 who opened fire on the policemen. Seven were killed the spot.
Traders, passersby and motorists around the spot who saw what happened took to their heels.
Police sources who declined to be named told Daily Sun that news of the death of the seven policemen reached the FCT Police Command late Monday night.
The command immediately dispatched a rescue team to the area.
He however said “sadly, when our men got there, they found the bodies of the seven policemen on the ground.
“The gunmen, after killing them, also made away with their weapons,” the source said.
Daily Sun, however, gathered that the police have commenced a manhunt to get the robbers who were believed to have come in from outside the FCT, to carry out the dastard act.
The remains of the policemen have reportedly been deposited at an undisclosed hospital mortuary in Abuja while the police authorities have started making efforts to reach their families.
When contacted, Police/ Public Relations Officer Anjuguri Manzah, did not return telephone calls to his mobile line.
He also did not respond to text messages at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, the Police Force headquarters in Abuja has promised to arrest perpetrators of the dastardly act.
Force spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, made this known at a media briefing, yesterday.
“Killing of the policemen goes a long way to prove that calls for the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) are not justified,” said Moshood.