Gunmen kidnap 4 residents in Abuja

By Chioma Nnodim

Gunmen on Monday night invaded Bmuko community at Dutse Baupma axis of Bwari area council in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, kidnapping four residents of the community.

A resident of the community, Mr. Isah, said that the invasion started at about 11.50pm in the house of one Engineer Patrick, whose wife and brother were among the people kidnapped.

According to him, the kidnappers who were more than 30 in numbers stormed Zone C, Road 5 of the community and shot sporadically in the air, before they broke into the house of the engineer and abducted two of this family members. “From the engineer’s house, after carrying his wife and brother, they divided themselves into two groups.

One group went towards the riverside that leads to Kubwa and Bwari, while the other group went towards the hillside. “It was the group going towards the hillside that stopped at a nearby house, where they kidnapped a Pastor and another young man. We could not do anything, we were scared to death during the period of the operation,” he said.

One of the leaders of the community, who preferred anonymity said that they heard gunshots few minutes to 12 mid night, that was when one of the landlords living amongst them sent them a voice note on their platform that they were being attacked.

“Swiftly, our security personnel came down, we had to make calls to the FCDA Police station, luckily we had intervention from them, and soldiers also came to our rescue. However, the whole thing turned to something else, as nobody was arrested. “But, the kidnappers went with three or four people. As we speak, the soldiers that went in search of them have returned without rescuing them. The policemen are still in the bush searching for them.

“We have been demanding for Police outpost here in the Bmuko community, this is a populated environment. Whatever is happening here is not out of the knowledge of the security architecture of the FCT,” he said. He stressed that if they have the Police patrolling at least three to four times in a week, it will create the presence of their existence in the community.

“The people will also be guided both in information and movement. We are trusting that those kidnapped would be rescued safely. They have not contacted anybody yet. We are seriously praying for their safety. “The wife and brother of one Engineer Patrick were also among the people that were kidnapped, and also a Pastor. The kidnappers came with AK47, because some of the guys during the night search picked up about two or three bullets of AK47,” he said.