Gunmen have allegedly abducted at least 16 residents in Kubwa, a suburb of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in a late-night attack on the community.
Residents told RBN on Friday that the heavily armed assailants stormed the area on Tuesday night around 9:30 p.m., firing sporadically and forcing residents from their homes before taking several people away.
According to eyewitness accounts, among those kidnapped were the wife of a local vigilante member and four children of a pastor.
During a visit to the community, RBN also spoke with members of the victims’ families, including the children’s father, Pastor Anthony, and the village head, both of whom confirmed the attack.
Witnesses said the attackers operated for several minutes without immediate security intervention, leaving the community in panic as families scrambled to account for their relatives.
The victims are said to have been taken to an unknown destination, raising fears that the kidnappers may demand ransom for their release.
The incident has further heightened security concerns among residents of Kubwa and surrounding communities, where similar attacks have been on the rise.
As of the time of filing this report, security agencies had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
However, the incident has been formally reported to the relevant security authorities, and community members are hopeful that urgent action will be taken to locate and rescue the victims.
A survivor of the attempted kidnapping in Kubwa, recounted how he narrowly escaped the attackers by fleeing the scene and raising an alarm.