Violence at Abuja IDPs Camp Leaves One Dead, Two Injured

Olawale Ajimotokan

One person was confirmed killed yesterday while two others were left seriously injured following a violence that ensued at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Durumi, a suburb of Abuja.

The Durumi camp is considered as one of the largest IDP camps in Nigeria for person displaced by insurgency, banditry and other internal unrests. The camp is located around the Games Village, just off the Goodluck Jonathan Expressway, Abuja.

Sources informed THISDAY last night that the violence that led to the shooting of the victim, suspected to be an IDP, occurred  when some officers of Department of State Services (DSS), acting on security reports  stormed the camp to carry out the arrest of some suspects for some security breaches.

However, it was gathered that the operation by the security outfit to effect the arrest was fiercely resisted by some of the people at the camp and the development escalated to a full-scale violence.

THISDAY gathered that the victim was shot by security operatives while trying to resist arrest. He died right on the spot while two other persons were also left with gunshot injuries.

Meanwhile in a statement last night, the FCT Deputy Public Relations Officers, Mr Oduniyi Omotayo, in his reaction, said there was a brief unrest at the IDP camp at Durumi.

He said there was a swift response to the crisis by the police which led to the restoration of normalcy. According to him, investigation was ongoing to ascertain the cause and effect of the unrest while urging members of the public to go about their lawful duties without fear and molestation from any quarters,

“We strongly advise rumour mongers to stop exaggerating the incident to a degree putting the territory in apprehension. Monitoring and surveillance continue on the scene,” Omotayo said.