BREAKING: Suspected abduction of NJC staff in Abuja causes panic, as Police keep mum

There has been tension and fear among residents of estates around Gwarimpa as kidnappers reportedly struck and abducted a resident of one of the estates the EFAB Metropolitan Estate on Sunday.

The victim is said to be a female staff of the National Judicial Council, Abuja.

Sources said she came down from her vehicle to buy fruits from a makeshift fruit store by the road when the kidnappers attacked her and escaped with her to the shock of onlookers.

The lady was said to have been kidnapped at the intersection between three of the biggest estates around Gwarimpa – Efab Metropolitan, Mab Global Estate, and Ipent 7 Estate.

The leadership of the three estates on Monday circulated information on WhatsApp and Telegram platforms where residents were instructed to be more security conscious.

A resident and member of the Executive Committee of one of the estates said that the intersection leading to the three estates has become completely bad with no intervention from the Federal Capital Development Authority.

The source recalled that the situation of the road had become so bad that the estates contributed funds to fix portions of it but were stopped from working on the intersection by FCDA.

It was further learned that the three estates have faced grave security challenges from shanty settlements which were removed by the FCDA after years of complaints.

The source noted that the shanty traders who specialize in selling drugs under the cover of other items are gradually returning thereby endangering the security of the resident.

The source added that the police authorities under the Gwarimpa police division had ensured the deployment of operatives to the area but stopped suddenly without explanation.

Investigation revealed that the kidnappers who had obviously monitored the lonely stretch of road with easy access to the Mai express leading to Kaduna and the city Centre exploited the total absence of police presence to strike.

“It was a moment of shock to the agitated residents. It is a classic case of what they fear most happening to them as this matter has dominated discussions.

“A woman, a staff of the National Judicial Council was abducted just at the junction linking the three estates. We cannot say exactly whether they have called to demand ransom. Perhaps, the police should be in a better position to say what happened.

“Efab Metropolitan Estate where the abducted lady is resident has a police station which is under Gwarimpa Division.

“The area is too lonely apart from the fact that the junction, that is, the intersection is bad. In fact, the entire area is a perfect scene for crime any day.

“So when the Gwarimpa Division of the Police started deployment to the area, the embattled residents heaved a sigh of relief.

“However, prior to the incident of kidnap, the police withdrew their men leaving the people to their fate.

“The issue is that some of the operators of shanties chased away by the three estates have relocated to the express where they sell fruits, fish, food items, and all manner of things.

“A lot of questionable characters loiter around the area obviously to study the movement of targets for attack.

“On one of the estate’s platforms, it was hinted that the three estates are making arrangements with the FCDA to fix the bad portion of the road and the FCT police command to deploy men there.”

When contacted, FCT Police PRO, DSP Josephine Adeh promised to carry out checks and get back but never did. Several calls after and text messages to the line were neither answered nor responded to.