Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Abuja, Nigeria – A wave of kidnappings in the Kubwa area of Abuja has plunged families into anguish after armed men reportedly invaded homes, looted personal belongings and abducted women and children, including a nursing mother who gave birth just 40 days earlier, sparking urgent appeals for help and heightened concerns about security in the Federal Capital Territory.
According to family members and residents, the incident occurred in early March when suspected gunmen stormed residential compounds in Peze and Byazhin‑Across communities, moving from house to house under the cover of night and carrying out brutal kidnappings that have left entire neighbourhoods in fear.
Distressing Discovery and Family Appeals
One of the most heart‑wrenching cases involves Yohanna Ciroma’s wife, a young woman who was abducted less than six weeks after giving birth. Mr. Ciroma shared how he learned of the attack when a colleague checking on his family discovered broken windows and his wife’s absence. The nursing mother was forcibly taken while her newborn – only about 40 days old – was left behind in the home.
Her infant is currently being cared for by a relative, who is feeding and comforting the baby in the mother’s absence. “She was taken, and now the baby is with my sister, who is buying milk and caring for him,” Ciroma said, describing the emotional strain on the family as they struggle to come to terms with the terror of the night and the uncertainty surrounding the mother’s fate.
Another family in the area suffered a devastating blow when four children were abducted during the raid. Their mother, Gloria Anotu, recounted how the attackers forced their way into her home, ransacked the interior and seized her children without allowing time for them to even put on clothes. The father, Tony Anotu, expressed deep anguish over the trauma inflicted on his young children, who were taken into the bush by armed men.
“I am crying and asking for help,” Anotu said in an appeal to national leaders and security agencies. “We are Nigerians, but we are living as slaves in our own land. Their daddy is not there, their mummy is not there, and they are now with dangerous strangers.”
Community Fear and Broader Kidnapping Trend
Residents of Kubwa’s suburbs have described repeated attacks by suspected kidnappers, with some eyewitnesses suggesting that 20 or more people have been abducted within a two‑week span. In some reports, gunmen reportedly fired indiscriminately and made away with a mix of victims, including children, women and men.
Local inhabitants blame the porous terrain and hilly landscape surrounding the communities for providing convenient hideouts for criminal elements, and they have called on the Federal Government to strengthen security presence, including police and military patrols, to curb the rising tide of violent abductions.
Security Response and Rescue Operations
In response to the string of abductions, security agencies have reportedly launched coordinated search and rescue operations involving the Federal Capital Territory Police Command’s Anti‑Kidnapping Unit, the Nigerian Army Guards Brigade, the Department of State Services (DSS) and local vigilantes. These teams tracked suspected kidnappers into forested hideouts across Kaduna State and neighbouring regions, leading to clashes and subsequent rescue efforts.
According to the police, 20 kidnapping victims were successfully freed during operations conducted between March 6 and 7, with ten males and ten females removed from the captors’ dens. The operations reportedly resulted in the arrest of at least two suspects and the recovery of firearms and ammunition.
Commanding officers involved in the rescue praised the professionalism and bravery of their personnel while urging residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities. Authorities also cautioned that premature or unverified information shared publicly could endanger ongoing operations or compromise the safety of victims.
Rising Insecurity and Calls for Government Action
Despite the successful rescue of some victims, many families remain in distress over loved ones still missing, including the nursing mother and the pastor’s children taken in Kubwa. The spate of abductions has triggered widespread fear among communities where residents previously believed such violent crimes were rare, highlighting what many describe as a troubling deterioration in local security.
Community leaders have repeatedly appealed for the establishment of permanent security posts closer to vulnerable neighbourhoods, arguing that the current distance between police stations and these communities emboldens criminal groups to strike with impunity. Calls have also been made for improved intelligence gathering to dismantle the networks believed to be orchestrating the kidnappings.
Human Toll and Public Outcry
For families directly affected, the emotional and psychological toll of the kidnappings is profound. Parents of abducted children are pleading not only for the safe return of their loved ones but for decisive action that would prevent other families from enduring similar trauma. The situation has drawn broader public attention, with civil society organisations urging the government to bolster strategies for protecting civilians and dismantling criminal elements responsible for the violence.
The case of the nursing mother abducted days after childbirth has resonated widely, symbolising the vulnerability of ordinary citizens to the surging insecurity in Nigeria’s capital territory. As relatives and neighbours continue to demand effective security interventions, the incident underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive approach to combating kidnapping and restoring a sense of safety in communities across the region.
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