Residents of a community near the Quarry area along Arab Road in Kubwa, Abuja, were thrown into panic after suspected kidnappers invaded the area late Saturday night, abducting one resident and fatally shooting another.
The attack, which occurred between 11 p.m. on Saturday and midnight on Sunday, reportedly left the community in fear as gunmen stormed the neighbourhood through a nearby hill.
Speaking on the incident, the community secretary, identified simply as Dairo, said residents were alerted by the sound of gunfire as the attackers made their way into the area.
According to him, local security operatives attempted to resist the assailants but were unable to stop them from gaining access to one of the targeted homes.
“We started hearing gunshots, and the house they attacked is close to the hill. From what I was told, the local security team engaged them in a gun battle in an effort to stop them,” Dairo said.
He explained that despite the resistance, the kidnappers succeeded in entering the victim’s apartment, where they shot one of the occupants and abducted his younger brother.
“While the security men were trying to repel them, they managed to enter the house. They shot one of the brothers and took the younger one away,” he added.
The victim who sustained gunshot injuries was rushed to the hospital but was later confirmed dead on Sunday.
Police operatives reportedly arrived at the scene shortly after the attack, but the kidnappers had already escaped through the same route they used to enter the community.
“The police came around shortly after midnight, but by then the attackers had fled with the victim. They came through the hill and left through the same route,” Dairo said.
The community leader described the latest incident as the third successful kidnapping operation recorded in the area over the past few years.
He recalled a previous attack around 2021 or 2022 during which a corps member was abducted and another resident, identified as Mr. Oshodi, was killed. He also noted that another resident was kidnapped in May 2025 and later released after ransom was paid.
According to him, suspected kidnappers attempted to invade the community a few weeks ago but were driven back by local vigilantes and hunters who help secure the area.
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The community has since established a local security network made up of vigilante members and hunters to complement official security efforts.
Dairo appealed to the government and security agencies to strengthen security presence in the area by establishing a police station or increasing patrol operations.
“If there is a police station here or regular patrols around the community, it will discourage these criminals. Their activities thrive because they know security presence is limited,” he said.
Another resident confirmed that the victim who was shot did not survive despite efforts to save his life.
“The young man is dead. He didn’t make it. It’s a very painful loss for the community,” the resident said.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the Federal Capital Territory Police Command were unsuccessful, as calls to the spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, could not be connected at the time of filing this report.
