From Molly Kilete and Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
There was palpable tension in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, yesterday, after soldiers mounted security checkpoints on strategic locations following reports of planned invasion of the city by bandits and terrorists.
It was gathered that security reports obtained by the military, late Tuesday night, revealed that the attackers fleeing from the heavy military onslaught in the northwestern part of the country were planning to enter the FCT, through the Abuja-Keffi Expressway and other entry points.
Consequently, soldiers and the various security agencies have been placed on red alert to counter the invasion of criminals into the city.
Already the Guards Brigade Nigerian army has deployed its soldiers to strategic locations where they mounted security checkpoints to monitor and arrest the attackers. Similarly, the army headquarters garrisons have also deployed its soldiers to strategic spots to give the attackers the battle of their lives.
The operation, which started at midnight Tuesday, is said to have led to the arrest of some suspects who are now helping the security operatives with useful information.
Motorists, especially those who live along the Abuja-Keffi Expressway, including Kugbo, Karu, Jikwoyi, Orozo, Karshi, Nyanya, Mararaba, one man village and Masaka, among other satellite towns, are finding it difficult passing through the road as a result of the road block mounted by soldiers of Guards Brigade, who are responsible for the security of the president, his immediate family, Very Important Personalities (VIP), as well as the FCT and its environs.
A military source, who did not want to be mentioned in print, told Daily Sun that similar checkpoints have been mounted around the Abaji, Zuba and Bwari areas to arrest the suspects before they gain access into the city.
The source further revealed that the joint task force had commenced the raid of all black spots in the FCT, and that some suspects have been arrested. The source, who confided in Daily Sun, said that intelligence gathered in the last few days revealed the planned attack and an influx of motorcycle riders into the FCT, on a daily basis, a development said to be giving the military and other security agencies concerns as kidnapping and attacks on villages in the FCT become a daily affair.
The source said that the invasion of the university of Abuja, early Tuesday morning, by bandits who abducted some staff members and their families, may not be unconnected with the security alert even as soldiers are in hot pursuit to apprehend the criminals.
Sources alleged that some villagers may have connived with the criminals who attacked the university staff quarters as it took sometime before they could alert the police who, in turn, alerted soldiers of 176 Guards Battalion, located around Gwagwalada. Unfortunately, by the time they got there, the criminals had escaped. It was also gathered that the non fencing of the university premises and location of the staff quarters, said to be right inside the bush, made it very easy for the criminals to have easy access into the premises.
While the soldiers alongside operatives of the police anti kidnapping units were said to be in hot pursuit of the attackers, the kidnappers were yet to make contacts with families of the kidnapped victims.
When contacted the Commander, Guards Brigade, confirmed the security checkpoints by the soldiers. He, however, did not state why they mounted the security checkpoints even though soldiers have been in that particular spot for sometime now.
Meanwhile, barely 24 hours after the kidnap of members of staff of the University of Abuja, their abductors are demanding N300 million ransom for their release.