Bandits Attack Abuja Community, Kidnap Five Residents

A group of armed bandits, numbering at least 20, launched an attack on the Chikakore community in Kubwa, Abuja, on Sunday night. The assailants abducted five residents, including a family of three and a guest who was visiting.

The attack took place around 11 pm when the bandits stormed the Health Centre extension area of Chikakore. Among those taken were Adesiyan Akinropo, his wife, their son, and their visiting guest. Additionally, a neighboring resident was kidnapped, bringing the total number of victims to five.

During the attack, a woman was severely injured, sustaining a head wound after being struck with a gun butt. She was rushed to a hospital due to significant bleeding. Police officers from the Byzahin division arrived at the scene, but by the time they reached the location, the bandits had already fled with the victims.

Residents of the community expressed their frustration over the delayed police response, noting that law enforcement arrived approximately 90 minutes after the incident had occurred.

One resident voiced their concerns, stating, “The bandits have resumed attacks in Chikakore. We need a police division here in our community. We have land and a fully-built five-bedroom apartment ready to accommodate the police, but there has been no deployment yet.”

This attack has sparked further anxiety over the security situation in Chikakore, which had already faced violence earlier in January. At that time, fleeing bandits from Katsina State detonated explosives near an Islamic school in Kuchibuyi, Bwari Area Council, claiming two lives.

Efforts to reach Josephine Adeh, the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, for comments were unsuccessful, as calls went unanswered.