By Mike Odeh James
KADUNA—Abuja, the capital city of Africa’s most populous country is under siege. In the past two months, more than 70 persons have been kidnapped and no fewer than three others killed by unidentified gunmen.
Just last week Thursday (January 18th), two persons, including the wife of Barrister Cyril Adikwu and his in-law were abducted by gunmen who invaded the Nigerian Army Estate in Abuja.
The kidnappers stormed the estate at about 10 pm, shooting sporadically and abducting the two people while Adikwu escaped. This latest incident happened less than 36 hours after the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, set up a Special Intervention Squad meant to tackle terrorism in the FCT.
Addressing journalists during the launch of the squad on Jan 17, IGP Egbetokun, had said the initiative is the Nigeria Police Force’s “bold strategy” to end the menace of kidnappings and killings in the capital city of Abuja.
Earlier on January 7, 2024, more than 20 gunmen dressed in military gear stormed the Sagbagi Estate in Dutse- Alhaji, a precinct in Bwari County 10 miles North East of Abuja, after shooting for two hours, they escaped with their victims
Days later, the kidnappers sent a note demanding for a ransom of N700 million. When they did not get delivery of the ransom, they killed three of the victims, including a 13 year old girl, and a university student.
A Community leader of Dutsen, Ahaji Alex, told TruthNigeria that the attackers were ‘speaking the language of the Fulani ethnicity, adding that up till now, the remaining seven persons are still being held captive
Why a Surge of Attacks on Abuja?
But the Federal Capital area had already been pounded by kidnapping attacks in December. On December 28, the bandits invaded Kuduru, (another precinct in Bwari County ), 29 miles NorthWest of Nigeria’s capital city and abducted 18 individuals. And on Friday, December 29, the assailants attacked a village called Azu killing three people and abducting eight others.
Other recent incidents of attacks recorded in Abuja include the killing of a pastor affiliated with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and abduction of 13 people by bandits who invaded Garam ( 32 miles, NorthWest of Abuja ), on Saturday, December 23, 2023, The following day, December 24, 2023, 25 persons were said to have been abducted in Bwari, with three losing their lives in the attacks. Earlier on December, 9, 2023, the terrorists struck at Dei Dei ( 23 miles NorthWest ) and kidnapped twenty-three persons.
The Minister in charge of law enforcement in the sprawling Federal Capital Territory says he has too few trucks and tracking equipment.
Minister Nyesom Wike told newsmen on Monday that lack of operational vehicles was handicapping the ongoing war against banditry and kidnappings in Abuja, according to Vanguard.
To make matters worse, Bwari has now become the dumpsite for dead bodies of victims who were killed by terrorists as more than nine corpses were found dumped on the outskirts Nearly all the the kidnappings targeted residents in communities in Bwari County .
SCARIEST CITY IN THE WORLD
London based Security Analyst, Malam Bulama Bukarti speaking on the insecurity in Nigeria’s capital said, Abuja is fast becoming one of the scariest cities in the world. He further added that what is happening in Abuja is true reflection of Nigeria.
Malam Bulama Bukarti spoke on Channels Television program, Politics Today, saying “Over 9,700 people were killed last year in 2023 across Nigerian. Abuja cannot be immune to that because as long as you leave insecurity to fester and flourish across Nigeria, then, it will find its way to Abuja,” Bularti said.
“In major junctions in Abuja, criminals and armed robbers masquerading as taxi drivers maim and rob Nigerians in a way that we have not seen before” Bukarti added.
Bukarti noted that over 200 people were either killed or abducted in Abuja in the last three months of 2023, – from October to December
“Abuja is fast becoming the scariest city in the world, he said.
A University don, Peter Edeh, told Truth Nigeria that” there is no area that is exceptionally safe including Aso villa. We have had all sorts of acts of terrorism in and out of the FCT in the past. ” Virtually every area council in the FCT has experienced one form of attack or the other. The recent attacks around Bwari area council are not the first and it’s not new.
ABUJA ENCOMPASSED BY TERRORISTS
Dr. Kabiru Adamu, Chief Executive officer of Beacons Security Consulting, explained on Arise Tv Network that Abuja is bordered by states harbouring deadly terror gangs such as Ansaru and Boko Haram and that these gangs are converging on the outskirts of Abuja . He said ” intelligence had shown that violent terrorist groups from the North-East, North-West and North-Central geopolitical zones had moved into Abuja while some operate from border states such as Kogi, Kaduna, Niger and Nasarawa.”
“The way to secure Abuja is to take the fight to the bandits and terrorists in other parts of the country,” Adamu said.
Mike Odeh James is a conflict Reporter in Northern Nigeria and writes on banditry for Truthnigeria.
