No fewer than seven children were abducted at the weekend when some gunmen raided the Rachel’s Home For Orphans and Vulnerable Children, Abaji Area Council in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
The gunmen also abducted a security guard, one Joseph Mathew, and two women – Rukaiyyat Salihu and Suwaiba Momoh on Saturday night.
The abducted orphans are Elizabeth Andrew, Dayo Udeh, Jacob Ukpas, Melody Ijeh, Benard Itim, Issac Mathew and Laruba Emmanuel.
Police said they rescued one of the hostages, adding that efforts were being intensified to free others still held captive.
A resident, Mohammed Nurudeen, who was shot in the thigh, explained that the gunmen abducted his wife at gunpoint and also shot him.
He said, “The men came at midnight while we were sleeping and forced me to open the door threatening to kill us if we refused to obey their orders. They shot me and took away my wife. I appeal to the security agencies and the government to assist in rescuing my wife unhurt from the gang.”
But the Federal Capital Territory command said it had launched a rescue operation for the kidnappers, assuring that victims would be released soon.
Police spokesperson of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) command, ASP Maryam Yusuf, said, “We are working hard to rescue them and apprehend the perpetrators. Already, we have rescued one of the hostages and we want to assure that the rest would also be rescued unhurt,” she stated on Sunday.