One Found Dead, Four Still Missing After Bandits Kidnap Residents In Abuja Community
According to a source, the victim’s body was discovered by the roadside in Niger State during a rescue operation.
One of the five residents kidnapped in the Chikakore community, Kubwa, in the Bwari Council Area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has been found dead, SaharaReporters has learned.
According to a source, the victim’s body was discovered by the roadside in Niger State during a rescue operation.
“One of the kidnapped victims is dead. The victim’s body was found on the roadside somewhere in Niger State during the ongoing rescue operation,” the source revealed.
The incident occurred on Sunday evening when gunmen attacked the Health Centre extension area of Chikakore around 11 p.m. Armed bandits kidnapped five individuals, including members of a family and a visitor.
A resident confirmed that the abducted victims included one Adesiyan Akinropo, his wife, son, their visitor, and a neighbour. During the attack, a woman was injured after being hit on the head with the butt of a gun. She was rushed to the hospital, bleeding profusely.
Police operatives from the Byzahin Division responded to the scene but arrived over an hour after the attackers had fled.
“The bandits have resumed attacks in Chikakore. We need a police division here in this community. We have land and a five-bedroom apartment already built to accommodate the police, but there is no deployment yet,” a resident had lamented.
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command on Monday confirmed the attack and said it had launched an investigation, as well as a search-and-rescue operation.
However, the police claimed that four persons were kidnapped while residents of the community insisted that five persons were abducted by the gunmen.
In a statement, the Command spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, said, “On 27th January 2025, at about 1:00 A.M., the FCT Police Command received a distress call regarding a case of abduction and assault in the Chikakore community. FCT Police operatives were swiftly deployed to the scene.”
She said preliminary investigations revealed that seven suspects armed with machetes and sticks and disguised, deceived the victims into opening their gate before abducting them.
“The suspects attacked the residence, abducted the victim and three members of his family, and injured a neighbour who intervened. The injured neighbour was promptly rushed to Kubwa General Hospital for medical attention,” the statement added.
The police assured residents that efforts were ongoing to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators. They urged the public to remain calm and provide any information that could assist in the operation.
This incident has raised concerns about rising insecurity in the area, with residents calling for the establishment of a dedicated police division to enhance security.
