29/12/2023
Bandits take over Abuja, killing four and kidnapping 39 in Niger towns
Bandits attacked Kuduru, a town in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, as well as the Garam and Azu towns in neighboring Niger State, resulting in at least four fatalities and 39 kidnappings.
Witnesses claimed that on Saturday, December 23, the daring bandits stormed Garam in Niger state, which is five minutes away from Bwari, Abuja. While there, they killed a pastor affiliated with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, or RCCG, and abducted thirteen other people.
The bandits attacked Kuduru, Abuja, which borders Garam, on Thursday, December 28, taking 18 people hostage.
The bandits attacked Azu, which was still in Niger state, on Friday, December 29, the next day, killing three and capturing eight.
Mrs. Juliana, a resident of Garam, claimed that the robbers had first missed their target and ended up at the incorrect residence, where they kidnapped two children.
The criminals abducted two boys who subsequently guided them to the target's home after breaking into the wrong residence.
The entire family was abducted by them when they arrived, but as they were leaving the residence, they shot their target, a pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, in front of his wife and their three kids, she added.
It was also learned that the wife sought the bandits for permission to return with her six-month-old child after realizing she had left him behind.
Nevertheless, an eyewitness claimed that the female bandit eventually lost patience and abandoned the woman to go with the other 13 kidnapped victims.It was learned that the pastor's wife teaches in one of Bwari's government secondary schools.According to a different eyewitness, the bandits went to a military man's home and demanded his wife's rifle and uniform.The wife informed them that her spouse was working. However, they abducted two of his kids, the witness claimed.The witness also stated that thirteen people were taken hostage, and the bandits left the pastor's five-year-old son, who was slain, at the river's edge since he was unable to cross it.The surveillance crew that pursued the criminals is said to have saved the youngster.