At least seven people were abducted from Gidan-Bijimi, a village in the Kawu ward of Bwari Area Council, Abuja, late Wednesday night, just hours after President Bola Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency.
According to residents, the gunmen attacked the village around 10 p.m., firing indiscriminately before abducting a 16-year-old boy and six girls aged 17 to 23. Suleiman Shuaibu, whose cousin was among the kidnapped, confirmed the victims’ identities.
“It was around 9:53 p.m. when a call came from Gidan-Bijimi reporting that bandits had invaded the village and abducted six young girls. Unfortunately, my cousin sister was among them,” Shuaibu said. He added that local vigilantes tried to resist the attackers but were quickly overpowered.
The incident comes less than 24 hours after President Tinubu announced the nationwide security emergency to combat rising bandit attacks in states including Kwara, Niger, and Kebbi. Measures outlined by the president include the recruitment of 20,000 police officers, 30,000 military personnel, the conversion of NYSC camps into training depots, withdrawal of police escorts for high-profile officials, and deployment of State Security Service operatives to target bandit hideouts in forests.
The abduction has heightened fears in the community, underscoring the challenges of enforcing security even in the immediate aftermath of federal emergency measures.
