Bandits abduct director near military base as report cites rising impact of insecurity

There seems to be no immediate end to the insecurity in Abuja as bandits, yesterday, abducted a director with the Federal Housing Authority (FHA)

Spokespersons for the Nigerian Army, Major-General Onyema Nwachukwu and the FCT Police Command, Josephine Adeh, could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing this report.

The Guardian gathered that the abduction happened very close to a military base at the entrance of Bwari very close to Pambara Extension within the FCT.

The kidnappers were said to have gained access through the fence, after cutting the barbed wires.

The part of Pambara Extension where Mr Aondo Ver was kidnapped is just about 200 metres away from the military base.

The abductors were said to have escaped through the bush with their victim.
FHA spokesperson, Kenneth Chigelu, confirmed the incident, explaining that Ver is a staff of its mortgage bank, an autonomous institution.

He said the development has stalled the FHA event scheduled for today – the handing over of 40 housing units to owners in Gwarinpa.
Chigelu added the Managing Director, Gbenga Ashafa, is disturbed by the incident.

The FCT has been confronted with a surge in insecurity, leading to fear and apprehension on the outskirts in recent times.
THIS is even as a report by SB Morgen (SBM) Intelligence observed that the rising cases of abduction in the federal capital were driving up cost of living within the territory.

In addition, it noted “thefts, including ‘one chance’, a type of robbery in which unsuspecting passengers are lured into commercial vehicles and dispossessed of their belongings.”

In the report, the organisation, which compiled and analysed data about happenings in Nigeria, said “government’s failure to confront the escalating insecurity has forced residents to take extensive measures to safeguard themselves.”

The report added: “Following the deterioration of security in states sharing boundaries with the FCT, such as Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger, bandit groups, seeking new territories and wealthier victims, set their sights on the capital.

“Between 2019 and the lead-up to the end of 2023, kidnap attacks were concentrated on Bwari, as well as other satellite areas such as Kuje, Gwagwalada and Kwali, with the latter two local council areas experiencing other issues such as armed robbery and pastoral conflicts.”

“In the past few months, however, the insecurity has become more mainstream, with regular attacks in upscale neighbourhoods, housing the Abuja Municipal Council Area elites.
“As a result, many have invested in enhancing their security infrastructure and adopting various precautionary measures such as avoiding public transportation, extreme measures such as refraining from late night movements and arming themselves with weapons such as pepper sprays and knives.”

SBM said to gather data on the “economic repercussions stemming from the surge in kidnappings in Abuja and its profound impact on the city’s residents,” one-on-one interviews were conducted on residents across various locations in the FCT.

The report pointed out that “estate security fees have increased by 20 per cent, transportation costs have risen by 100 to 250 per cent, and rent in upscale areas has gone up by 10 to 15 per cent.”

It added that “business revenues are down by 33 per cent, and there is a decline in rent in satellite areas.”