Bandits strike Kubwa community, abduct vigilante commander’s wife, 15 others

Suspected bandits have abducted at least 16 residents after attacking Peze community in the Byazhi area of Kubwa, Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Among those reportedly taken during the raid were the wife of a local vigilante commander, her younger sister, and four children belonging to a pastor in the area.

According to Sahara Reporters, the attackers stormed the community on Tuesday night between about 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., moving from house to house while attempting to force their way into homes.

One resident said the gunmen had initially gathered inside an uncompleted building located opposite his house before launching the attack.

“They actually came to my house on Tuesday. One of my neighbours saw them through the window. They had gathered inside an uncompleted building opposite my house, so they didn’t know someone was watching them,” the resident said.

The neighbour immediately alerted the local vigilante commander, who rushed to the location mentioned, unaware that the attackers had already surrounded his own home.

“He ran to the place they mentioned, not knowing they had already surrounded his house,” the resident explained.

Sources said the attackers later intercepted the commander on the road as he tried to return home and opened fire on him.

Afterward, the gunmen reportedly invaded his residence and abducted his wife alongside her younger sister, who had visited the family just three days earlier.

Residents further revealed that the woman had given birth less than 40 days ago, and the kidnappers left the newborn baby behind when they took her away.

“They even ate the food she had been cooking before abducting her,” the source added.

Security operatives were said to have arrived in the community after the attackers had already fled with their victims.

According to residents, the kidnappers later contacted families of the victims and demanded ransom for their release.

The community has reportedly experienced several kidnapping incidents in recent weeks. Residents recalled a similar abduction that occurred on January 4, which prompted locals to begin organising vigilante patrols in the area.

They are now calling on security agencies and authorities in the Federal Capital Territory to urgently deploy more personnel and take decisive steps to address the growing wave of kidnappings.