In a series of harrowing attacks across communities in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Niger State, bandits wreaked havoc, resulting in the loss of lives and the abduction of numerous individuals.
The first incident reported was on Saturday, December 23, when assailants raided Garam, a community merely minutes away from Bwari. During this incursion, they targeted a pastor affiliated with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, tragically killing him. Additionally, 13 others were seized and taken captive, according to reports.
Just days later, on Thursday, December 28, the bandits struck Kuduru, an adjoining area to Garam. 18 individuals fell victim to abduction in this assault, intensifying the distress within the region.
The wave of violence did not cease as the bandits pressed further, targeting Azu on Friday, December 29. Three innocent lives were claimed during this assault, while eight others were forcibly taken away.
Eyewitness accounts shed light on the chilling methods employed by the attackers to journalists. A resident of Garam recounted a horrific incident where the bandits seized two boys before eventually locating their intended target, the pastor.
The assailants callously executed the pastor in front of his wife and three children. Furthermore, they demanded an exorbitant ransom of N50 million per person from the families of the kidnapped victims.
In a glimmer of hope amid the chaos, vigilante operatives managed to rescue a five-year-old child left behind by the bandits near a riverside, unable to cross.
The traumatic events have sparked terror and anguish among the residents, leaving families distraught and communities on edge. This has led to a call for decisive action to curb the menace of banditry, which resonates louder than ever.
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