Bandits kill one, kidnap four in Abuja community, as esidents condemn lack of security response

A group of over 30 terrorists attacked the Guto area of Bwari Area Council in Abuja on Sunday morning, killing one person and kidnapping four others.

The attack, according reports, began around 12:30am and lasted for over an hour, with the armed men dividing themselves into two groups and attacking the communities from various angles.

According to sources, the attackers entered Piwaye through the swamps and killed a woman, Madam Alice, who was in her mid-40s, before kidnapping a man.

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

Residents of the area expressed frustration and helplessness, stating that they made frantic calls to the police divisional headquarters in Bwari but received no response.

“We felt so helpless because the kidnappers operated for over an hour, but there was no police or army to challenge them,” said a resident of Tudun-Fulani.

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“I called my neighbor 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 kept telling us they were on their way. We never saw them until the kidnappers left on their own”, the resident who chose to remain anonymous said.

Another resident, who also preferred anonymity, described the attack as “very unfortunate” and stated that the attackers operated with sophistication, using weapons that suggested they were well-prepared.

“What happened last night was very unfortunate. We couldn’t sleep from 12:30am when they started till almost three o’clock. Initially, we thought it was the vigilance teams who were shooting, but when it became persistent, we knew these people were back again. We have had peace for sometime now, but unfortunately, they have resumed, and this time with full force because it was two groups that entered Bwari that night. One was in Guto while the other group was in Piyawe.”

The attack has raised concerns about the security situation in the area, with residents calling for increased protection and response from security agencies. The police have yet to comment on the incident.

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