…20 victims rescued after fierce gun battle
Residents of Peze and Kungabokun communities in the Byazhin-Across area of Kubwa, within Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have recounted terrifying experiences following a wave of kidnappings by suspected gunmen.
Community members said the attackers had repeatedly invaded homes over the past two weeks, abducting men, women and children. Locals estimate that between 15 and 20 residents were kidnapped during the period, with some families forced to pay ransoms of about ₦500,000.
According to a resident, Pastor Tony Anotu, whose four children aged between six and 16 were abducted on March 3, said they were later rescued by security operatives without payment of ransom. The victims were freed alongside other abductees during a coordinated rescue operation.
Residents and traditional leaders blamed the worsening security situation on the area’s remote terrain and the absence of nearby police facilities, urging the Federal Government to establish a police station or military checkpoint to protect the communities.
The FCT Police Command confirmed that a joint operation involving police, the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS) and local vigilantes led to the rescue of 20 kidnapped victims.
According to Police spokesperson Josephine Adeh, operatives tracked the kidnappers to forest hideouts along the Kaduna–Niger border, where a gun battle lasting over an hour ensued. Several suspects were neutralised, two – identified as Nura Sani and Abdul Bello – were arrested, while others fled with gunshot wounds.
Adeh said the rescued victims included 10 males and 10 females abducted from Byazhin District in the FCT and neighbouring areas of Niger State.
