Gunmen have abducted thirteen individuals from Piko, a secluded community in the Bwari area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), stirring significant concern over security lapses in remote areas.
The incident, which unfolded on the evening of Sunday, May 5, 2024, continued unchallenged for over an hour, highlighting the absence of adequate security response from either local vigilante groups or other security agencies.
According to a source close to the community, Chief John Jatau, the Maidakin of Piko, confirmed the kidnapping of ten local residents and four nomadic Fulani herdsmen. Notably, one of the Fulani victims managed to escape from the captors.
The victims identified include Nuhu Anyiwoyi, Emmanuel Nuhu, Danjuma Ali, Parisa Numa, Ezekiel Jatau, Shekwosa Ezekiel, Roseline Samuel, Salome Jacob, Abyelo Ezra, and Ezra Male.
The community leader further disclosed that the kidnappers have made contact, demanding a ransom of N900 million. The isolation of Piko, exacerbated by the absence of a telecommunication network, severely hampered the community’s ability to quickly communicate the crisis to external security forces, allowing the kidnappers to operate with impunity.
This kidnapping incident underscores the broader security challenges faced by remote communities in the FCT, where inadequate security infrastructure and slow response times continue to embolden criminal activities.