A resident of Kuje in the Federal Capital Territory, Ms. Grace Opadukun, has narrated how she fled her home during the exchange of gunfire between the terrorists and security operatives during the Tuesday’s terrorists attack on Kuje Prison, Abuja.
Speaking with Vanguard, the mother of three said she escaped from her house with her kids to a church in Pasali Area of Kuje council.
Recounting her ordeal, Mrs Opadokun, who resides within the precincts of the prison, said she took the risk of fleeing the area that night because of her kids.
“We just came from the church around 7pm on Tuesday and I was waiting for my husband, who is a taxi driver to return before I go to bed. Around 10:15pm, I even spoke with him and he told me he was around Lugbe, heading home.
“A few minutes later, I started hearing gunshots. As I was still trying to make sense of what was happening, my neighbour rushed out, saying his cousin called on the phone to inform him that they sighted some people with what looked like guns trekking in large numbers through a plantation in the area.
“Before we knew what was happening, there were gunshots, as thick smoke billowed from the direction of the prison. It was then we knew that it was under a serious attack and we started running to a place of safety.
“I couldn’t imagine losing my three kids in the crossfire. I had woken my children from sleep and we all fled the area with some of my neighbours to a church in Pasali that night. We stayed there till this (yesterday) morning.”
Another resident, Damian Ayeneji, a youth leader in the area, said he witnessed the bomb blasts and sporadic gunshots at the premises and surroundings of the prisons.
According to him, some of the exchange of gunfire was between security agents and the gunmen, who stormed the custodial centre with the mission to rescue some inmates.
He explained that residents of the area assumed the first bomb blast, which went off around 10:00pm, was one of the dynamites that licensed rock crushers around Kuje typically used to quarry solid mineral matter.
However, he said they were taken aback when the second and the third bomb blasted off in quick succession, followed by sporadic gunshots.
Ayeneji said: “It all started around 10:00pm. I was about to retire for the day. As a youth leader, I had left some of our local vigilantes.
“When I came back from the where I met our youths, I wanted to watch the television for a while before going to bed and all of a sudden, I heard a loud bang.
“Initially, I thought it was one of the dynamite blasts of rock crushers, which we hear from time to time, especially at night.
“So, I didn’t bother. But when I heard the second and third blasts, followed by sporadic gunshots, I became worried.
“At that point, I became afraid, wondering what could be happening. So, I tried to step outside to see for myself, but ran back inside the house and took cover when it was clear to me that it was an attack on the prisons. The gunshots continued at intermittent intervals for over two hours.”
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