Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers yesterday invaded the Chikakore area of Kubwa in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory and kidnapped a man, his wife, son and two others.
Daily Trust reports that Chikakore is a community on the outskirts of Kubwa and is about 30 kilometres to the Abuja city centre.
A resident of the community told our correspondent that the kidnappers, armed with AK-47 rifles, stormed the community around 12am on Monday and went straight to the house of one Adefija Michael Akinropo, who was kidnapped alongside his wife, son and elder brother.
He said the attackers ransacked every room in the house and left with some foodstuffs and drinks.
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The resident, who is close to the victims, said the kidnappers later moved to another building housing a poultry farm, kidnapped a man and injured his wife.
She was reportedly rushed to the Kubwa General Hospital by a police patrol team that arrived at the location around 1 am, an hour after the incident, Daily Trust gathered.
A security guard at the compound, who craved anonymity, said on arrival, one of the attackers scaled the fence into the house and used his gun to break the key used to padlock the gate.
The security guard added that other members of the gang, numbering six, moved in thereafter.
He said, “Three of them pointed guns at me and directed me to go back as I was approaching the gate, while the others moved toward the windows and started hitting them with their guns.
‘’They succeeded through one of the windows at the children’ room, and moved into the main building where they met my boss and his family members.’’
Recent attacks
Daily Trust reports that Bwari has a few attacks recently. There was an explosion at an Islamic school in Kuchibuyi village, also near Kubwa within the council.
The explosion which occurred earlier in the month led to the death of two people with two others severely injured.
Some people were reportedly kidnapped along the Zuma-Kawu Road within the council recently.
Also, late last year, the kidnappers reportedly crept into the Sabo-gari area of Bwari, killed one person in Piwoyi and abducted some others.
Daily Trust, however, observed that the territory has been relatively calm regarding kidnapping activities of recent with residents praising the efforts of the FCT Administration and the security operatives.
Mr. Toyin Ajay, a public affairs analyst, pleaded with the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to intensify efforts regarding security in the nation’s capital.
‘’Security agents should not relax, we have been having a peaceful city in the past six months or so. The security agents need to do more in this regard,’’ he said.
Abductors disguised as vigilantes carrying machetes, sticks- Police
The FCT command said that preliminary investigations revealed that the abductors of family members in Chikakore community in the early hours of Monday disguised as vigilantes carrying machetes and sticks.
A statement by the command’s spokeswoman, SP Adeh Josephine, while reacting to the abduction incident on Monday, said the suspects deceived the victim into opening his gate, after which the men abducted the victim alongside three of his family members.
She said a neighbour, who attempted to intervene sustained injuries during the attack and was promptly rushed to the Kubwa General Hospital for treatment.
According to her, the FCT police command received a distress call at about 1am regarding a case of abduction and assault in the Chikakore community, and that the police operatives were swiftly deployed to the scene.
She said, “Preliminary investigations revealed that seven unknown men, disguised as vigilante members and armed with machetes and sticks, attacked the residence of the victim. The suspects deceived the victim into opening his gate, after which they abducted him and three members of his family”.
She said the command had commenced a comprehensive search and rescue operation, which she said was aimed at securing the safe recovery of the abducted victims and apprehending the perpetrators.
Josephine urged residents of the Chikakore community and the general public to remain calm and vigilant, calling on the members of the public with useful information that could assist the investigation and rescue of the victims to promptly report to the police through: 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653 and 08028940883.
By Hussein Yahaya, Adam Umar & Abubakar Sadiq Isah & Onyekachukwu Obi