Bandits Gun Down Man In Abuja Residence, Abduct Wife, Kids

Tragedy struck the Ushafa Community in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as a resident was shot dead during a bandit invasion on Thursday night.

The attack, which adds to the growing list of security challenges in the region, also saw the bandits abduct the deceased man’s wife and children.

A police source confirmed the incident to Daily Trust, though details remain scarce.

The victim’s home was reportedly targeted by the bandits, who invaded the community under the cover of darkness, leaving a trail of grief and fear among residents.

Ushafa, like many other communities within Nigeria, has been grappling with rising insecurity, particularly kidnappings for ransom, which have become increasingly common.

The latest incident comes on the heels of a report by SBM Intelligence, an Africa-focused market and security intelligence firm, highlighting the severity of the kidnapping crisis in the country.

According to SBM Intelligence’s report, titled Grim Reaping, Nigerians paid a staggering ₦1.048 billion in ransom to kidnappers between July 2023 and June 2024.

The report also noted that while abductors demanded a total of ₦11 billion in ransom during this period, only a fraction of this amount was eventually paid by the victims’ families.

The report further revealed that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had the highest ransom demands, closely followed by Lagos and Kaduna states.

The increasing frequency of kidnapping for ransom was attributed to Nigeria’s ongoing economic stagnation, with kidnappers now targeting a broader range of victims and adjusting their demands based on what the families can afford.