Residents of the Byazhin area in Kubwa, within the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, were thrown into panic on Thursday after suspected kidnappers invaded the community, killing a vigilante operative and abducting four residents.
A resident, identified simply as Aliyu, told reporters that the attack occurred in the early hours of Thursday when a large group of armed men stormed the area.
According to him, the attackers, estimated to be about 28 in number, appeared to have laid siege to the community before launching the operation.
“The gunmen struck in the early hours of Thursday. They were heavily armed and seemed to have positioned themselves around the area before carrying out the attack.
Four residents were taken away into the bush, while a vigilante member securing the community was shot from behind and later died from the injury,” he said.
A security source who confirmed the incident disclosed that the slain vigilante had since been buried.
The source added that a joint team comprising security personnel and local vigilantes had commenced a search-and-rescue operation aimed at tracking down the attackers and securing the release of the abducted residents.
“It is true. The vigilante has been buried. Personnel of the military, police and vigilante groups have already moved into the forest in search of the criminals and to rescue the victims,” the source stated.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Superintendent Josephine Adeh, were unsuccessful as calls placed to her mobile line did not connect as of the time of filing this report.
The latest attack has heightened concerns among residents of Byazhin, a rapidly developing suburb of Abuja that has witnessed a series of security challenges in recent times.
The incident is expected to intensify ongoing security operations in the area as authorities work to curb criminal activities and reassure residents of their safety.