…as assailants shoot, injure three soldiers
The Anti-Kidnapping Squad in Nasarawa State, early Monday morning, successfully thwarted an attempt to kidnap the family of Dr. Leon Usigbe, the Abuja Bureau Chief of the Nigerian Tribune newspaper.
The incident occurred around 12:50 am at his residence on Kurape Road in Karshi, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
During the attack, the assailants shot and wounded at least one of the neighborhood vigilante on guard.
One intruder managed to climb the perimeter fence of Usigbe’s house and unlocked the gate from the inside, allowing the others to enter.
Once inside, they vandalized windows with stones and attempted to break down both the front and back doors, but were unsuccessful.
The anti-kidnapping squad, which had only recently been deployed from Lafia due to a spike in abduction incidents in the area, was alerted and they arrived within minutes.
Upon their arrival, the assailants opened fire, injuring three soldiers.
In response, the squad returned fire, causing the kidnappers to flee before they could access the building.
Dr. Usigbe was not at home during the attack, but his wife and children were present and left visibly shaken.
This incident marks the third kidnap attempt in the area within three months, with two families having previously paid ransoms for the release of abducted members.
When contacted, the Nasarawa State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Ramhan Nansel said, “Our anti-kidnapping unit repelled that incident.”
