Residents of Bwari, Ushafa, and surrounding villages in Bwari Area Council, Abuja, are currently living in fear due to the activities of daring bandits wreaking havoc in the area. According to reports from DAILY POST, these attackers have been on a rampage in recent days, committing acts of violence such as killings and kidnappings across various communities in the council.
Last Wednesday, in Zuma 1, located in the Bwari central ward, gunmen invaded, leading to the abduction of seven family members. In a subsequent gun duel between the bandits and Nigerian Police officers, a man known as Alhaji was reportedly shot dead, and two officers sustained serious injuries. The armed assailants managed to overpower the security forces, abducting several residents with an unknown destination.
Before the Zuma 1 incident, the bandits had targeted Barangoni, also in the Bwari central ward, where they abducted several individuals, causing a vigilante member to suffer a life-threatening injury. Additional attacks were reported in Garam, Kuduru, and Azu communities a few days before Christmas, resulting in the indiscriminate shooting by gunmen. Despite the presence of a police post, at least five individuals were abducted, and residents are said to be fleeing their homes in Bwari, Ushafa, and other border communities due to the persistent violence.
Notably, the bandits had previously attacked communities near Veritas University in the Bwari area of the Federal Capital Territory, leading to the closure of the university in July 2022. The General Hospital in Bwari has also been partially shut down recently due to increased bandit attacks, causing fear among workers, including doctors, who are afraid of being kidnapped.
Ushafa village, also known as Clinton Village under Bwari Area Council, has witnessed several attacks, with reports emerging of bandits positioned near rocks behind LEA Primary School, causing fear and anxiety. A member of the local vigilante group in Ushafa expressed concern about potential future attacks and called for increased security presence to address the escalating situation.
The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, responded to the security concerns, urging residents to avoid spreading unverified information. She mentioned that the Commissioner of Police visited communities in the region on January 3, 2024, engaged with community leaders, assessed security arrangements, and took proactive measures, including deploying additional personnel and an armored police vehicle. However, concerns have been raised about perceived inactivity despite these efforts.