12-year-old boy, Civil Defence officer, others kidnapped in Abuja

A 12-year-old boy, alongside eight other persons, including a member of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have been abducted by yet to be identified gunmen in Pegi Community, a resettlement area in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Witnesses told the Nigerian Tribune that the victims were kidnapped, on Monday, around 8:00 pm by gunmen who dressed in military camouflage.

It was further gathered that the kidnappers, numbering about 20 ambushed their victims on their way home on that fateful day.

According to one of the witnesses, who did not want his name in print, the kidnappers shot their moving pickup truck and the bullet deflated the tyres. But unfortunately, bullet hits of them, who happens to be a Civil Defence official, and the victim, who is in critical condition, is currently receiving treatment at the unknown hospital.

The injured person, according to the Nigerian Tribune’s findings, was said to have been released on health ground.

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When contacted, however, the Chairman, Pegi Community Development Association (PECDA), Mr. Taiwo Aderibigbe, who confirmed the kidnapped incident to the Nigerian Tribune on phone, said officials from the FCT Police Command led by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adamu Ciroma, were currently in the community on-the-spot assessment.

He further confirmed that when the family of the civil defence contacted the abductors, on Tuesday (yesterday), they demanded N10 million ransom.

“Yes. It was true that they kidnapped nine people. But the civil defence officer, who was left behind, was seriously injured. They wounded him seriously and he is currently receiving treatment in the hospital.

“When his family contacted the kidnappers this morning (Tuesday), they said they (kidnappers) were demanding for N10 million ransom. As I speak to you, the officers from the FCT Police Command led by CP himself are here to assess the situation.” He told the Nigerian Tribune, on phone.

It will be recalled that that was the second time kidnapping incident would occur in that community. Four people were kidnapped in 2018 along the same makeshift path to the community that housed Naval quarters.