A 16-year-old boy and six teenage girls have been abducted by armed bandits in Gidan-Bijimi, a settlement in Kawu ward of Bwari Area Council, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Residents told our source that the community, which borders Marke village near Kaduna State, came under attack around 9:47 pm on Wednesday. Armed men carrying AK-47 rifles broke into two homes and took the girls—aged between 17 and 23—along with the teenage boy.
Suleiman Shuaibu, a resident of Kawu, confirmed the incident during a phone call on Thursday morning. He said the bandits fired repeatedly during the invasion, forcing residents into panic.
Some community vigilantes attempted to confront the attackers but were overpowered by their superior weapons.
Shuaibu added that many residents fled their homes out of fear, and no contact has been made with the kidnappers.
Efforts to reach SP Josephine Adeh, spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, were unsuccessful as calls and messages were not responded to at the time of reporting.
The incident occurred barely 48 hours after FCT Minister Nyesom Wike ordered tighter security across Abuja, especially at border points linking neighbouring states. Following his directive, a joint security taskforce involving the police, DSS, military and other agencies was deployed across the territory.
FCT Police Commissioner, CP Miller G. Dantawaye, had also instructed the operatives to work in synergy and eliminate criminal threats. He noted that the minister had provided adequate logistics to support the operation and enhance residents’ safety.
Source: Daily trust
