The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has confirmed that two persons were abducted during an armed invasion of Grow Homes Estate, located within the Chikakore axis of Kubwa in Abuja, in the early hours of Monday.
According to a statement released by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, the incident occurred around 1 a.m. when gunmen suspected to be kidnappers breached the rear perimeter fence of the estate in Kuchibuyi village, Byazhin area.
“The command received a distress call from police operatives stationed in front of the estate, reporting an attack by armed assailants and requesting reinforcement,” the statement read.
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Upon swift deployment, officers engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle lasting approximately 40 minutes. During the operation, one of the abducted victims — a woman identified as Chinyere Joe — was rescued, while the second victim was taken away by the fleeing attackers.
The police said a manhunt has since been launched in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to track down the suspects and secure the release of the remaining abducted victim.
Earlier, residents of the estate recounted the terrifying moments of the invasion, which they said began around midnight and lasted until about 1:30 a.m.
One resident who spoke with reporters said heavily armed gunmen stormed the area, overpowered the estate’s local vigilante team, and held residents hostage for more than an hour.
“I saw a man and a woman being taken away. Thankfully, the woman was later found within the estate. We don’t know why they let her go, but it was a relief,” the resident said.
He also described the response of security forces. “The police arrived around 1 a.m. There was a serious exchange of gunfire between them and the gunmen, which went on for about 30 minutes.”
While commending the efforts of the police, the resident called on the government and the FCT Administration to intervene urgently in the area’s security situation.
“We’re begging the government to fix the access road. It’s in terrible condition and delays emergency response. We also need a police station in this axis to improve security and allow for quicker response in times like this,” he added.
