The Bwari Area Council in Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has been struck by renewed violence. In the early hours of Sunday, June 30th, suspected gunmen launched an attack, resulting in the reported kidnapping of at least four individuals and the death of one resident.
According to eyewitnesses, the assault began around 12:30 am and targeted the outskirts of Guto and Piyawe communities, eventually spilling over into Tudun-Fulani and Sabon Gari near the Bwari Area Council headquarters. Residents described two separate groups of attackers, numbering over 30, who surrounded the communities, fired shots, and stormed into homes, causing widespread panic.
Eyewitnesses claim the attackers entered Piyawe through the swamps, making their way to Guto and Piyawe. Here, they kidnapped a man and tragically killed a woman in her mid-forties, identified as Madam Alice. Reports indicate she was visiting her sick mother in Bwari when the attack occurred. Two additional victims were reportedly abducted from their homes in Guto, while another person was taken from Tudun-Fulani, located less than a kilometer from the council secretariat.
A resident, who requested anonymity, described a terrifying night with no apparent response from security forces: "The attack started around 12:30 am and lasted until almost 3 am. Initially, we thought it was vigilantes, but the persistent gunfire made it clear these were attackers returning. We've had a period of peace, but unfortunately, it's ended with a vengeance. We saw two separate groups enter Bwari – one in Guto, the other in Piyawe. They came prepared with what sounded like sophisticated weapons."
Another resident of Tudun-Fulani, also speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged a lack of police response despite frantic calls to the Bwari divisional headquarters. "We felt helpless. The kidnappers operated for over an hour unchallenged. I called the police when the shooting began, and my neighbor confirmed he already had. We waited for 20 minutes, then called again, but they kept saying they were on their way. We never saw them until the kidnappers left."
This is not the first time violence has plagued Bwari. Earlier this year, the area council became notorious for banditry and kidnappings. The kidnapping and subsequent deaths of Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar, a 400-level student at ABU Zaria, and 13-year-old Folashade Ariyo remain fresh in the minds of residents.
Efforts to reach the FCT Police Command's Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, for comment on the recent attack were unsuccessful. Phone calls and messages sent at the time of writing remain unanswered.