Residents of Peze and Kungabokun communities in the Byazhin-Across area of Kubwa, a satellite town in Abuja's Bwari Area Council, are living in constant fear due to a wave of kidnappings by suspected armed bandits.
The attackers, operating in large groups and taking advantage of the area's hilly and bushy terrain, have raided homes repeatedly, abducting men, women, and children in house-to-house operations.
According to accounts shared with news outlets including the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), at least 20 people have been kidnapped in the past two weeks.
Some victims escaped, while others, including a man and a woman in one incident were released only after their families paid a N500,000 ransom.
Philip Ikechukwu, a local resident, described the terror: "We have been living in fear. These terrorists raid us, shooting guns and abducting men, women, and even children."
In a particularly distressing case, Pastor Tony Anotu of the Revival Family Church had four of his children aged 6 to 16 kidnapped on March 3.
The kidnappers left behind his youngest child, about three and a half years old. The pastor recounted sleepless nights haunted by thoughts of his children's suffering in the forest.
Thankfully, security forces rescued all four children on Saturday without any ransom payment.
The same operation also freed a vigilante member's wife and her sister, though the attackers had abandoned the woman's two-month-old baby.
Chief Kalu Uma, a 29-year resident of nearby Ijayapi, called the escalating violence a new and alarming threat, urging authorities to seal the porous borders created by the surrounding landscape.
Village heads expressed deep concern. Chief Saidu Ibrahim of Peze reported that bandits returned on Tuesday, firing shots and abducting about seven more people, bringing the total from his ward to at least 16.
He mentioned suspicions of local informants aiding the criminals and noted that a letter has been sent to the Department of State Services (DSS) and police requesting a permanent security base in the area.
In Kungabokun, Chief Jagaba Ishaya highlighted the killing of a vigilante officer and abductions from locations including a poultry farm and a former naval officer's home.
He stressed the need to equip local vigilantes better: "You cannot face someone with an AK-47 using inferior weapons."While a joint patrol involving soldiers, police, and civil defense personnel is now active, residents complain about the distance to the nearest police station in Byazhin.
The FCT Police Command's Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed rescues through coordinated efforts by police, military, and DSS.
She reported that a gun battle neutralized some attackers, wounded others who fled, and led to the arrest of two suspects.
Operational details remain confidential for security reasons.Affected residents, including Pastor Anotu, have made direct appeals to President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for a lasting solution, including stronger permanent security presence to restore peace to these once-quiet Abuja suburbs.
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