By Tajudeen Balogun
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, has confirmed the abduction of many residents in the city, early hours of Monday.
The New Diplomat learnt that a group of heavily armed kidnappers invaded Grow Homes Estate, in the Chikakore area of Kubwa, Abuja’s largest suburb town, and held residents hostage for over an hour.
Accounts of the incident by agitated residents, indicated that the abduction occurred between midnight and 1:30 am on Monday.
A witness confirmed that a man and a woman were taken away by the kidnappers, saying as at daybreak, the woman was found within the estate, having been released by her captors.
The eye witness account revealed: “The incident happened around midnight.
The assailants were well-armed and overpowered the local vigilance team.
“The police arrived at about 1 a.m., and there was a fierce exchange of gunfire for approximately 30 minutes”.
In its reaction, FCT Police Command in a press release issued by its Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, stated that the woman’s release was as a result of an intense gun battle with the armed men, adding that efforts were still ongoing to rescue the remaining victims.
“The FCT Police Command, on Monday, 26th May 2025, at about 1:00 a.m., received a distress call from police officers stationed in front of Grow Homes Estate, Kuchibuyi village in Byazhin, reporting an attack by armed assailants and requesting reinforcement.
“Upon swift deployment to the scene, it was discovered that the attackers had breached the estate through the rear perimeter fence and forcefully abducted two victims.
“The responding police officers exchanged gunfire with the attackers for about 40 minutes and rescued one of the victims, identified as Chinyere Joe. Unfortunately, the attackers escaped with the second victim.
“The Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit, in collaboration with the army and other security operatives, has since launched an operation to track down the fleeing suspects and ensure the safe rescue of the remaining abducted victim,” said the release.
The New Diplomat reports that the fresh abduction happened less than a week after a similar attack on Efab Global Estate in the Idu Industrial Area of Abuja last Wednesday.
Meanwhile, residents of the estate have appealed to the government to repair roads, so as to allow easy access for security patrol vehicles.
They also urged the police and the FCT Administration Authority to establish a station in the estate for rapid response in case of an unexpected incident.
