Panic, as bandits kidnap four, kill one in Abuja community

Voice Air Media News Update

Bandits have abducted four persons in Guto and Piyawe communities in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The terrorists renewed their attack in the area in the early hours of Sunday, around 12:30am in the headquarters of the Area Council.

Residents alleged that two separate groups had invaded the area council, with kidnappers numbering over 30, surrounded the communities shutting sporadically and forcing their way into people’s homes.

Eyewitnesses confirmed that the invaders came into the Piwaye through the swaps and made their way to Guto and Piyawe where they kidnapped a man and killed a woman in her mid forties.

The deceased, whose name was simply given as Madam Alice, was said to have only visited her sick mother who stays with the brother in Bwari where she unfortunately met her death.

Two victims were allegedly abducted from their homes in Guto, while another person was kidnapped from Tudun-Fulani, which is less than a kilometre from the council Secretariat.

A resident who preferred anonymity, said the attackers operated from 12:30am to 2:30am with no challenge from security agencies.

“What happened last night was very unfortunate. We couldn’t sleep from 12:30am when they stated till almost three o’clock. Initially we thought it was vigilantes that were shooting, but when it became persistent, we knew these people are back again.

“We have had peace for sometimes now but unfortunately they have resumed and this time with full force because it was two groups that entered Bwari that yesterday. One were in Guto while the other group was in Piyawe. It was obvious those ones came prepared, because the sounds we heard through the night, suggest they came with sophisticated weapon.”

Another resident of Tudun-Fulani who don’t want his name mentioned, alleged that the police failed to show even when frantic calls where made to the divisional headquarters in Bwari.

“We felt so helpless because for the kidnappers operated for over an hour, but there was no police or army to challenge them. I called my neighbour when the shooting started and he said he had already called the police. We waited for them to show up for 20 minutes and when we didn’t hear sounds of sirens, we called again but they keep telling us they were on their way. We never saw them until the kidnappers left on their own.”

Bwari Area Council had been in the news early this year, when bandits and kidnappers overran the area council abducting people for ransom.

Recall that a 400 level student of ABU Zaria, Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar and 13 years old Folashade Ariyo, were both kidnapped in separate attacks in Bwari and Dutse-Alhaji respectively. Both victims were later killed by their abductors following failure to secure their release on time.

Efforts to get police reaction were unsuccessful, as phone calls and WhatsApp messages sent to the Police Public Relations Officer For the FCT Command, Josephine Adeh, were unanswered.