Hoodlums attack FCTA taskforce, injure Policemen, officials 

By Sam Ogbeifun

Miscreants on Thursday attacked, injured and took some members of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Taskforce team at Gaduwa District of Abuja hostage while on duty.

The Police officers and officials were in the community to mark some illegal structures for demolition, a development that provoked violent reaction from the hoodlums.

While the injured Police officers and some of attackers were said to have been  rushed  to hospitals, the officials taken hostage were later  released, following a rescue by security men from the FCT Police Command, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police for Operations, Bernard Igwe.

The Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to the FCT Minister, Ikharo Attah,  who was on another duty at flood-devastated areas in  Lokogoma District, confirmed the incident to newsmen.

Attah said some officials of the Development Control attached to the Taskforce went to Gaduwa Community to mark for demolition some illegal  houses springing up indiscriminately in the community but were resisted and attacked by some persons armed with dangerous weapons.

He commended the timely intervention of some youths in the area, who helped in calming the situation and facilitated  the release of the hostages.

“But for the quick intervention of the re-enforced rescue team, the miscreants would have unleashed more violent attacks on the team.”