At least 16 residents of Peze community in the Byazhi area of Kubwa, Bwari Area Council, FCT, including the wife of a local vigilante commander, her younger sister, and four children of a pastor, were abducted by gunmen during a raid.
Residents said the attackers struck on Tuesday night between 9:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., moving from house to house while trying to force entry. Some of the gunmen had reportedly gathered in an unfinished building across from a resident’s home before launching the operation.
“They started banging on doors and shouting to see if anyone would react. If someone responded, they would break windows to get inside,” a local resident explained.
When the gunmen failed to enter some homes, they moved to others and abducted a total of 16 people. Among the victims were four children of a pastor, who was away when the attack occurred. Only the pastor’s youngest child was left behind.
The family of a local vigilante commander was also targeted. The commander had just left his home when neighbours alerted him to the attack. Unaware that gunmen had surrounded his residence, he rushed to another house and was blocked and fired upon by the attackers on his way back. The gunmen eventually stormed his home, abducting his wife and her visiting younger sister, leaving behind a newborn who was less than 40 days old.
Security operatives reportedly arrived after the attackers had escaped with their victims. The abductors later contacted families, demanding ransom for the release of those taken.
Residents noted that Peze has seen multiple kidnappings in recent weeks, including an earlier incident on January 4, prompting the establishment of vigilante patrols. Community members are now appealing to the FCT authorities and security agencies to deploy more personnel and take urgent action to curb the rise in kidnappings.
