No fewer than 16 residents of Peze community in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, have been abducted by gunmen.

Victims include the wife of a local vigilante commander, her younger sister, and four children belonging to a pastor.

Residents said the heavily armed attackers invaded the community on Tuesday night between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.

They reportedly moved from house to house, attempting to break in. One resident explained that the gunmen had gathered in an uncompleted building before launching the attack.

“They started banging on my door and moving around the house, shouting to see if anyone would react. The way they operate is that once you respond, they break the window to gain entry,” he said.

Families Torn Apart By Kidnappers

The attackers threatened to kill occupants who refused to open their doors. When they failed to gain entry into some homes, they abducted residents from others.

In total, 16 people were taken.

Among the victims were four children of a pastor who was away when the attack occurred. The vigilante commander’s wife and her younger sister were also kidnapped.

Residents said the woman had given birth less than 40 days earlier, and the kidnappers left her newborn behind. “They even ate the food she had been cooking before abducting her,” a source added.

Security operatives later arrived, but the gunmen had already escaped with their victims. Families said the abductors have since contacted them to demand ransom.

The community has had several kidnapping incidents in the past, including one on January 4 that led locals to organise vigilante patrols.

As at the time of this report, the FCT Police Public Relations Office have not issued a formal confirmatory statement.