In the wake of incessant kidnapping and bandits’ attacks on residents of Abuja, the lifestyle in the city is changing from the norm as more dwellers, especially those resident in the satellite towns of the six area councils, now live in fear.
The heightened insecurity has made many residents to feel unsafe even in their homes as they demand swift actions from the authorities to curb security challenges in the nation’s seat of power.
Daily Trust finds out how these incessant attacks brought about changes in the lifestyle of the residents within and outside the city centre.
Heightened vigilance
Residents are now becoming more conscious of their surroundings, both in public and private spaces. They avoid certain areas deemed unsafe. Some residents now board vehicles only at trusted parks, while scanning cabs for potential strange behaviours. Many also adopt precautionary measures such as leaving workplaces early.
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Increased community security
Residents are taking proactive steps to secure their neighborhoods by themselves. This includes forming vigilante groups, installing security checkpoints, and even requesting early closure of businesses to minimize night-time movement.
A source, who spoke to Daily Trust, said due to the insecurity challenges and residents getting kidnapped even in their homes, the landlords and tenants’ association in her neighborhood had organized a local vigilante and created barricades at the community entrance to ensure security checks in and out of the vicinity.
Disruptions to daily routines
Fear of insecurity has altered daily routines. People are afraid to go out at night, leading to deserted streets and potentially impacting nightlife and social activities.
“The insecurity erodes trust and creates a constant sense of vulnerability. Resident even within their own homes, no longer feel completely safe, leading to anxiety and reduced quality of life,” a landlord, who preferred anonymity, said.
Economic impact
The fear of being targeted affects not only residents but also business owners, including real estate agents. Areas perceived as unsafe face reduced patronage and a decline in economic activities.
Ahmad Muhammad Sibawaihi, a resident of Dakwa, a suburb of the city, confirmed to Daily Trust that as a result of incessant kidnapping and robbery cases in some communities, people are no longer coming to rent apartments in those areas.
This, he said, had also paralysed the economic and social activities in the areas.
“People no longer rent apartment around those areas. In fact, those living there are looking for ways to relocate to other relatively safe areas,” he added.
Umar Musa, a real estate agent who operates around Katampe Jahi and Dawaki, complained of low patronage of kidnapping-prone areas by potential tenants.
“People now prefer places that are close to the expressway; where they believe are more secure than the outskirts.
“Recently I took a client on inspection to some of our houses, but she rejected the places because they are far from the major roads,” he added.
Meanwhile, the FCT Police Command, had in a recent interview with Daily Trust, stressed that measures were being taken to address the security crisis, adding that armoured personnel carriers were being deployed in strategic locations to enhance safety and security of residents.
The spokesperson of the command, Josephine Adeh, said the Commissioner of Police, Haruna Garba, went round strategic locations to ensure the deployment.
She allayed residents’ fears about their safety, saying that the command had continued making efforts to enhance security of lives and property.
“The truth of the matter is that the Command has deployed Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) at strategic locations in the FCT to tame these criminals.
“The CP personally went round to ensure that these criminals are properly dealt with so as to make the FCT more peaceful than before.
“What we’re careful about is too much disclosure of operational strategies, because enemies can use that to plan their usual ambush,” Adeh stated.
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