Two abducted as gunmen invade Abuja estates

Some suspected gunmen have invaded Amal Pepple Estate, situated off the Kiyami village road near the Abuja Centenary City along the Lugbe/Airport Road axis, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to kidnap victims in exchange for ransom. Reports indicate that the incident occurred on Monday morning.

According to eyewitness accounts, the previously peaceful estate was thrown into panic when sporadic gunshots suddenly filled the air around a quarter past midnight.

The gunfire lasted for hours, shattering the calm and jolting residents from their sleep, before the assailants were repelled by a combined team of estate security and police backup, preventing them from moving to the next house to abduct more victims.

An eyewitness disclosed to newsmen that a young man managed to escape being kidnapped but sustained severe injuries to his right arm from a machete attack. Unfortunately, his mother was not so lucky; she and another person were taken by the assailants.

This attack occurred just five days after a similar incident in the nearby ACO Estate, where attackers killed one gateman and abducted two residents.

Reports indicate that a mother and daughter were taken away, with one casualty recorded when suspected kidnappers invaded ACO Estate in the Sabon-Lugbe axis early Wednesday.

Amal Pepple Estate, located off the Kiyami village road near Abuja Centenary City, is the second estate along the Lugbe/Airport Road axis to experience such violence in just five days.

The renewed wave of attacks has raised concerns about the efficacy of the security architecture in the Federal Capital Territory. Abuja residents are calling on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and heads of security agencies to intensify efforts to curtail the situation.

As of the time of filing this report, efforts to reach the FCT Police Command Spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, proved futile as she did not respond to messages sent for clarification on the matter, nor did she answer calls placed to her.

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