Gunmen have reportedly abducted 23 persons on Thursday in the Kawu community in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Kawu, an FCT village that shares boundaries with Niger and Kaduna states had not been on the radar of the bandits in recent times since they began a regular assault on villages in Bwari and in Garam, a village in Niger State. The Councillor, representing the area, Abdulmumini Zakari, who is also the deputy speaker of the council, said the gunmen, numbering about 40, came into the community through the Kuyeri Forest in Kaduna State.
“They divided themselves into groups and some went into the palace of the district head, Abdurrahman Ali, where they abducted his son, Lukman, and his wife, whom he married two weeks ago.“Others attacked the compound of Alhassan Kawu, the Marafa of Kawu, and a former PDP Chairman of Kawu Ward. They abducted him along with his four children,” he stated. Mr Zakari added that the bandits invaded the home of the Sarkin Pawan Kawu, Gambo Pawa, and abducted him along with his two wives and some children.
When contacted, the FCT Police spokesperson, Joseph Adeh, a Superintendent of police, said she had yet to confirm the incident.“I have not confirmed any kidnap case, I am currently working on recruitment, I don’t know anything about the kidnap, I am solving the issue now,” Ms. Adeh revealed.
The incident occurred a day after some terrorists reportedly abducted 85 people at Katari along the Kaduna – Abuja highway in the Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The police in Kaduna, however, debunked the story.
It was reported that about 15 persons were kidnapped in Abuja in the first week of this year. Eight of the victims were kidnapped in the Sagwari Estate Layout in the Dutse-Alhaji area of Abuja by gunmen dressed in military uniform.
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