Residents of Bmuko community in Dutse Baupma axis of Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, say four persons were kidnapped in their community on Monday night.
A resident of the community, who simply identified himself as Isah, said the incident occurred at about 11.50pm in the house of a certain Engineer Patrick, whose wife and brother were among the people kidnapped.
“The kidnappers who were more than 30 in number stormed Zone C, Road 5 of the community and shot endlessly into 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,” the source said.
A community leader in the area who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said they heard gunshots few minutes to 12 midnight, a development which made one of the landlords to send out a voice note on their WhatsApp platform that they were being attacked.
“Swiftly, our security personnel came down, we made 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.
“The kidnappers went away with three or four people. As we speak, the soldiers who went in search of them have returned without rescuing the victims. 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 densely populated environment. Whatever is happening here is not unknown to the security architecture of the FCT,” he said.
He stressed that if they had the Police patrolling the area at least three to four times in a week, it would help to deter criminals.
“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 AK-47, because some of the guys during the night search, picked up about two or three bullets of AK-47,” he said.