- Whereabouts of kidnapped past Unity Bar Secretary still unclear
As Abuja residents cry out over the spate of kidnappings, not fewer that 30 persons were forcibly taken from their homes over the weekend at various locations in the Federal Capital Territory.
An unnamed estate at Dei-Dei, a satellite town along Kubwa-Zuba-Kaduna Express way, right beside the abattoir of the popular cattle market got a raw deal late Sunday evening with about 17 persons marched into vehicles and taken to the unknown.
A resident who spoke to Law & Society under anonymity said his wife was just lucky.
“I and my wife were attending a function in town and later decided to spend the night with a relation who was also also attending the event. But then my wife realised she needed to get some items at home for the baby so she went back to our house. On approaching our estate she saw a lot of vehicles parked around the gate but did not give a thought to anything. She also saw some men in military uniform around but that was not unusual because sometimes they come to our area to arrest some rough boys who smoke Indian hemp in the bush around us. Our estate is beside the abbatoir the cattle market and Zuma rock is by the other side still close to our fence.
“My wife said there was no light when she entered so she used her phone torchlight to gather what she wanted. Had there been light, she should have been taken away. Next she heard people shouting and banging on doors. When she opened the curtain to peep, she saw men in army uniform beating, kicking our neighbours and shouting move, move. To avoid being see or found, she quickly stuck her breast into the baby’s mouth so that she will not cry and then crawled under the bed.
“It was from under the bed she called and told me what was happening. When I called some people I know in the area to find out more about what was going on, they told me that men in military uniforms with cars and buses have carried some people away. And that before they reached our estate they kidnapped other people form other estates and houses.”
Law & Society gathered that the morning after the incident (Monday), different police teams kept visiting the estate.
However, while an old woman and an infant were released on Monday, the mother of the infant, two of the old woman’s daughters and other are still being held captive.
Meanwhile, Chris Agidy, Esq., popularly known as Barman, who was among 19 persons kidnapped by unknown gunmen at Galadimawa area of FCT, Abuja, is feared dead. He was taken from his home. According to Kubwa Express, one of the released kidnapped victim reportedly disclosed that, after paying ransom, Chris was shot by his kidnappers.
The released victim was said to have revealed that, he heard Chris complaining that he could not move. After the complaint, he heard two gunshots and believed that the kidnappers shot Chris, whose inability to move, was hindering their operation. Chris, we learnt, was diabetic and at the time of his kidnap, over 4 weeks ago, did not have his medications with him.
Lawyers of Conscience, a pressure group in NBA, led by Felix Ashimole, Esq, spoke to Kubwaexpress and called on the leadership of NBA, to take up this matter with the highest echelon of the Police. “A former Secretary of NBA Branch, cannot stay in the den of Kidnappers for weeks and the IG of Police would be allowed to rest,” he said.
Vanguard also reported that there were attacks on Gbaupe, a village behind ACO Estate, Lugbe, along the Abuja Airport Road, where 12 people, including a 9-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl, were equally kidnapped on Sunday,
A villager told Vanguard that two of those abducted escaped as they were being arched into the bush behind the village. One of the men taken away was said to have been dragged out without a shirt or footwear.
Although it was not the first time that criminals attacked Gbaupe, there had never been such a magnitude of kidnapping in the village.
Men of the local Vigilante were said to have engaged the kidnappers but were overpowered due to superior firepower.
Kidnappers have been having a field day in the axis, which extends between Gbau, Kuje, Gauge, Pegi, Abaji, Keti, and Kwali, unchallenged for more than three years.
As of the time of filing this story, at about 9.15 am, it was learnt that the kidnappers had yet to contact the families of the victims.
Speaking with Vanguard under the condition of anonymity, a resident disclosed that the kidnappers who numbered up to 15 operated from 12.15 am till 2.46 am.
He said, “The kidnapping incident happened in the early hours of yesterday, December 11th Dec. at Gbaupe village behind ACO Estate, Airport Road Abuja. 12 people were kidnapped including three young people and women. Two men later escaped.
“One vigilante was killed. The kidnappers were about 15 in number. They operated from 12.15 a.m. until 2.46 am firing sporadically. The kidnappers are yet to make contact with the family. This is the 3rd incident this year.”
Just yesterday, it was widely reported that a nursing mother and three children have been kidnapped by bandits in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Residents say the bandits invaded the community on Sunday night between 7pm and 9pm and abducted a mother, her six-month-old baby and two other children.
Mr Francis Bobai, a resident and board of trustees member of the community, told newsmen that the gunmen kidnapped a woman with her three children, adding that the incident was the 5th in a row without security intervention.
He said, “This is the fifth time kidnappers are attacking with no action from the government.”
