• Police rescue kidnapped victim
• Deploy tech to safeguard Abuja, stakeholders tell FG
An explosion, suspected to be an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), has reportedly killed one person and injured another in Abuja. This was as police operatives in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) rescued a kidnap victim in the outskirts of Abuja.
Following the explosion, a retired director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, and other stakeholders urged the Federal Government to leverage technology, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI), to police the seat of power better.
A soldier who witnessed the blast said, on condition of anonymity, that the man believed to be a suicide bomber was killed by an explosive near the Mogadishu Barrack in Abuja.
But the military hierarchy said it could be an explosive from a phone device and not IED. Military personnel, Department of State Services (DSS), police and officers of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were at the scene to take inventory of the situation.
Confirming the blast, FCT Police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, said on May 26, 2025, at about 2.50 p.m., the FCT Police Command received a distress report regarding an explosion along the Mararaba-Nyanya bypass.
“Upon receipt of the report, officers of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit were immediately deployed to the scene. The affected area was swiftly cordoned off for clearance and analysis to ensure the safety of commuters and residents.
“One male victim was rescued at the scene and promptly taken to the hospital, where he is receiving medical attention. A comprehensive investigation has commenced, including detailed forensic analysis, to ascertain the exact cause and nature of the explosion.
“The command urges members of the public to remain calm and go about their lawful activities without fear, as there is no cause for alarm. Residents are also enjoined to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious person, object or movement to the nearest police station, or contact the Command through the following emergency lines: 08032003913, 08028940883, 07057337653.”
The Guards Brigade declined to comment on the blast. According to Amachree, the FCT can emulate the covert security plans for the Vatican during the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV.
“As the seat of government, no expense should be spared in leveraging on advanced analytics and Machine Learning (ML) to analyse surveillance footage from AI-supported drones and CCTV cameras across the city of Abuja.
National Coordinator of Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA), Emmanuel Onwubiko, blamed the FCT Minister for the insecurity in Abuja.He said the minister had been abandoning governance for politicking.
Certified Protection Officer, Frank Oshanugor, noted that security in FCT should be of concern to any right-thinking Nigerian, just as security should also be of great concern in other parts of the country.
On the rescued victim, Adeh hinted that the command received a distress call from officers stationed in front of Grow Homes Estate, Kuchibuyi village in Byazhin, reporting an attack by armed assailants and requesting reinforcement.
She stated: “Upon swift deployment to the scene, it was discovered that the armed attackers had breached the estate through the rear perimeter fence and forcefully abducted two victims.
“The responding police officers exchanged gunfire with the attackers for about 40 minutes, and rescued one of the victims, identified as Chinyere Joe. Unfortunately, the attackers escaped with the second victim.”
The command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU), in collaboration with the army and other security operatives, has since launched an operation to track down the fleeing suspects to ensure the safe rescue of the remaining abducted victim.
