On Sunday evening, bandits stormed Sagwari Layout Estate in Dutse, a neighbourhood of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, in Bwari Area Council, and abducted eight persons.

 

The gunmen abducted eight occupants before kidnapping two hotel staff members.

 

According to the Vanguard newspaper, the incident occurred at 7:30 p.m.

 

The victims were alleged to have been led to the neighbouring hills behind the estate.

 

According to an eyewitness, efforts by some security officials and estate security to pursue the kidnappers were met with heavy resistance from the bandits, who had superior firepower and were firing from vantage points atop the hills.

 

The FCT Police Command assured Abuja residents, particularly those residing in Ushafa, Bwari, and surrounding areas, of their safety over the weekend, stating that more police officers have been deployed to combat security concerns.

 

Ushafa is only around five minutes from the estate in Dutse.

 

On December 24, bandits stormed the Garam hamlet, located five minutes from Bwari in the FCT, killing a pastor from the Redeemed Christian Church of God and kidnapping 13 others.

 

On December 28, bandits again raided Kuduru in the FCT, capturing 18 people.

 

Similarly, on Friday, December 29, bandits raided Azu, Niger State, killing three persons and capturing eight more.

 

According to a recent report from a national newspaper, bandits killed 36 people and kidnapped over 300 in Abuja alone in 2023.