A surge in kidnappings is gripping the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), specifically within the Bwari Area Council, prompting a widespread exodus as residents abandon their homes to evade the grasp of terrorists.
Despite assurances from past and present administrations to tackle insecurity in the FCT, abductions persist, compelling residents to forsake their dwellings.
The FCT Administration (FCTA) has identified Kuje, Abaji, and Bwari as hotspots for kidnappings in the FCT, especially during the festive season.
Numerous incidents of kidnapping have been reported, including the mass abduction of 23 residents in Dei-dei, Bwari, and 12 others in Gbaupe along Airport Road.
Residents, particularly in the developing areas of Bwari, are being specifically targeted, leading to a mass exodus from their homes out of fear. This situation is reportedly influencing the cost of rent in safer areas.
Speaking with The ICIR, a resident of Bwari, Somto Ekwerike, mentioned that those residing in the developing areas of the council are the primary targets, and they have evacuated their homes due to fear.
“People are leaving the area, especially the rural areas or residential houses built in developing areas. You know that people in these developing areas mostly build their own houses, so they are seen as wealthy, making them targets. Most of them had to leave their homes for Bwari central. It is even beginning to affect the cost of rent here,” she explained.
Detailing his experience to The ICIR, a homeowner in the Barangoni area of Bwari, Ijaodola Wasiu, disclosed that he was compelled to relocate with his family to other parts of the FCT. This decision incurred a significant cost, nearly N1.4 million, despite owning a four-bedroom flat.
He mentioned that the move was prompted by separate abductions that occurred for three consecutive days within his community and neighboring areas.
“After the first, second, and third day, my family said they were not safe anymore. Everybody started moving. That is how my family left the house. Other families, too, are going. Many people have gone,” he expressed.
Despite Minister Nyesom Wike’s reassurances in his New Year message regarding the FCTA’s commitment to residents’ safety, kidnappings continue to plague various parts of the FCT.
In the first weeks of 2024 alone, the Bwari Area Council witnessed a surge in abductions, affecting at least 42 people.
A particularly distressing incident occurred in Zuma 1 Area of Bwari, where a father and his six daughters were abducted, resulting in a tragic loss as one of the sisters was killed.
The spate of kidnappings persists, with ten residents of Sangwari Estate, Dutse, in Bwari, being abducted three days later.
The most recent incident on January 10 in Kawu, a community bordering Niger and Kaduna states, saw 23 residents abducted, further escalating the security crisis in the FCT.