Suspected kidnappers have attacked Ajayapi community in the Byazhin area of Kubwa, Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in the early hours of Wednesday, killing one vigilante and abducting five residents.
The incident comes two months after gunmen attacked Peze community, a few kilometres away, where about 16 residents were abducted.
According to an eyewitness, Ene Amen, who spoke with NEWSNGR, the incident which happened just behind the Holy Spirit Catholic Church, began around 12:28 a.m.
“I heard the gun shot in my house around 12:28 a.m. One of the vigilantes who engaged them was killed,” she said.
Ameh added that she did not see the attackers, but was told by another resident at the scene that the gunmen were “young boys.”
According to her, about eight police officers arrived after the attackers had left.
“The police people came after the abduction. I saw them around 1:26 a.m. They just asked questions up and down and left,” she said.
Ameh said the victims include an 11-year-old boy, the husband of a woman who sells garri in the local market and a man who recently packed into the area.
“The woman is just outside now with her children. They are all crying. They said the woman’s husband just went abroad and the woman is selling garri in the small market in our area. Maybe they thought now that he went abroad, he has gotten money. One of the people that they carried, the man just moved in the area on Sunday. Now they have gone to carry him,” she said.
Another resident, Andy Eze said that the kidnappers left with a bag of rice they took from one of the victim’s house.
The attack left many residents afraid to stay in their homes, and they gathered on the street-lit main road to discuss the incident.
“I will wait till day break and I will leave here immediately during the day break. I will look for somewhere and stay. I can’t sleep at my house any longer. I am just following crowd around,” Ameh told NEWSNGR.
As of the time of filing this report, the FCT Police Command had not issued an official statement on the number of casualties, the identities of those abducted, or ongoing rescue efforts.
