Hoodlums Invade Private Estate In Abuja, Loot Items Worth N100m

An estate in Abuja has become the latest victim of the lootings being witnessed across the country in the last two weeks.

Despite warnings by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammad Bello, suspected hoodlums have looted items said to be worth over N100 million during a raid on Clear Estate in Kuchi-Bena, around Gwarimpa Estate, in Abuja.

The suspected hoodlums vandalised security doors and other fittings during the raid on the estate which is still under development.

The site manager, Joseph Chukwu, took journalists round the premises on Thursday, while calling on the FCT administration to come to their rescue.

Chukwu said the hoodlums carted away water storage tanks, plasma TVs, air conditioners and construction equipment worth over N100 million during the raid.

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He said food items belonging to Shelter initiative for African Women, an NGO operated by the owners of the estate, were also looted from two buildings in the estate.

“They had information that we had foodstuff in our estate. We run an NGO. So, they concluded that we had items and money there. Last Sunday, they invaded the place twice.

“The first time, we repelled them. At night, they came again and raided the estate. They looted everything in the estate and vandalised everything. The items taken and vandalised are into hundreds of millions of naira. They did it with malice that you begin to wonder. Over N100 million has been lost. When we put our pen to paper, the figure may be double of that.”

Chukwu also took journalists to the palace of the chief of the community, Esu George Gashiwo, to get his reaction to the incident, but the monarch declined to speak on the matter.

The hoodlums are believed to be residing in Kuchi-Bena, which is the closest hamlet to the estate.

Meanwhile, the FCT minister had on Tuesday ordered the arrest and prosecution of hoodlums who broke into some warehouses at the Idu Industrial Zone. Bello had promised massive deployment of security agencies to safeguard factories and warehouses in the federal capital.