Nigerian authorities have disclosed that three of their officers have been hospitalized due to gunshot wounds sustained following a gunfight with yet-to-be identified armed men in Abuja on Thursday.
The incident was said to have occurred during a late-night raid in the Jahi area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, according to Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Friday.
The operatives, acting on intelligence and surveillance, had stormed an uncompleted building near the NNPC area in Jahi, where they recovered 74 bottles of codeine, 10 litres of codeine syrup, 48 grams of tramadol 225mg, 4.9 kilograms of skunk — a potent strain of cannabis — and five Android phones.
However, as the NDLEA team attempted to exit the scene with the seized items, they were ambushed by unidentified gunmen who opened fire.
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In the ensuing attack, three officers sustained gunshot injuries — one in the rib, another in the back, and the third in the leg.
The injured officers were first rushed to the Police Clinic in Garki, Area 1, where they were stabilized before being transferred to the National Hospital, Abuja, for more comprehensive treatment.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), who is currently on official duty in Kano, expressed gratitude to the Police Clinic staff and the Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital for their swift response.
Marwa also reached out to the injured officers, wishing them a speedy recovery and assuring them that the Agency, working alongside other security outfits, would leave no stone unturned in tracking down and apprehending those behind the attack.
