At least 16 residents were abducted during a violent raid on Peze community in the Byazhi area of Kubwa, Bwari Area Council, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Among the victims, according to eyewitnesses, were four children of a local pastor, his wife and younger sister of a vigilante commander.
Eyewitnesses told reporters on Friday that the attack occurred on Tuesday night between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., with heavily armed men moving from house to house, attempting to force entry.
One resident said the attackers had initially gathered in an uncompleted building opposite his home before starting the raid.
“They actually came to my house on Tuesday. One of my neighbours was watching them from the window. They had gathered in an uncompleted building opposite my house, so they didn’t know someone was observing them,” he said.
“They started banging on my door and moving around the house, shouting to see if anyone would react. The way they operate is that once you respond, they break the window to gain entry. Those refusing to open doors were threatened with death.”
“When I later went to the pastor’s house, he told me he had stepped out briefly. Before he could return, people started informing him that kidnappers were operating in the area. When he rushed back home, he discovered four of his children had been taken, leaving only the youngest behind,” the resident said.
The source added that the local vigilante commander, whose family member were among those taken into captive, has been assisting the community against kidnappers.
“He had just left his house when his neighbour called him to say attackers had entered one of the nearby houses. He ran to the location, not knowing his own house had already been surrounded,” the source explained.
“The gunmen blocked the commander on the road, opened fire, and abducted his wife and her younger sister, who had visited three days earlier. The woman had given birth less than 40 days prior, but the newborn was left behind. They even ate the food she had been cooking before abducting her,” the source added.
The witnesses further explained that security agents arrived the scene after the attackers had escaped with their victims noting that the abductors had contacted families demanding ransom.
Residents noted that the community has faced repeated kidnappings, including an earlier incident on January 4, which prompted local vigilante patrols.
Community members are now calling on FCT security agencies to deploy additional personnel and take urgent measures to curb the rising wave of kidnappings.
Attempts to reach SP Josephine Adeh, FCT Police Public Relations Officer, were unsuccessful at the time of filing.
