Two persons were confirmed dead in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, as “palliative hunters” attacked a warehouse near Kuje Area Council, yesterday.
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Following the invasion, residents scampered for safety while others hurriedly withdrew their wards from schools as the hoodlums believed to have been imported from Kaduna and other places attacked the mini-warehouse.
As at 11am, most parts of Kuje were still chaotic and tensed with youths armed with cutlasses, cudgels and other weapons, patrolled the roads to either defend their territories or attack suspected enemies.
The situation grounded human and vehicular movements from morning to the early hours of the afternoon.
“We were told that the hoodlums are not residents of Kuje, but came from as far as Kaduna and other parts of country to mobilise Kuje boys for the attack on the mini-warehouse.
“I can confirm to you that two of the hoodlums are already dead. But what I cannot, however, confirm is who was responsible for their deaths. It is difficult to say because the indigenes joined the security agents to bring the situation under control.
“The hoodlums had broken into a mini-warehouse near the Federal Road Safety, thinking they can easily vandalise and loot palliatives stored there, but they saw only stationary materials,” a source said.
In a related development, hundreds of armed hoodlums invaded and carted away mattresses, utensils, electronics and other items from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp in Kubwa.
Disappointed that the warehouse at the camp was empty, the hoodlums attacked some residents of the camp and shops in the area.
Prior to the attack, hoodlums had blocked the road at about 9am, turning back motorists while Kubwa village market was immediately shut to avoid an invasion.
While soldiers and a detachment of the police struggled to ward off invaders, the Nigerian Air Force and the Airwing of the police embarked on air patrol with helicopters around the scene.
The confusion forced parents and guardians in the area to evacuate their wards from schools.
The hoodlums reportedly carted away all removables such as cooking pots, ceiling fan, plasma TV, foodstuff, desktop computer, laptop in camp belonging to private individuals residing at the NYSC camp.
In Gwagwalada Area Council of Abuja, hoodlums scouted for government and private warehouses, a development which led to tension in the area.
Security agents had to shoot sporadically for several hours to scare away the arm-bearing touts.