Fear in FCT as residents flee communities over bandits’ threat letter

Residents of Kungaboku and neighbouring Paze communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have begun fleeing their homes following a threat letter allegedly issued by suspected bandits warning of an imminent attack.

The letter, reportedly discovered in a pupil’s school bag at a private school in Paze, warned that the armed group would launch coordinated attacks on Kungaboku and surrounding areas to avenge the killing of their commander.

The development has heightened fears in the communities, which have recently experienced a wave of kidnappings and violent attacks.

The threat comes days after troops of the 7 Guards Battalion of the Nigerian Army, working alongside the police and local vigilantes, rescued 19 kidnapped victims during a joint search-and-rescue operation around Gidan Dogo in Bwari Area Council on March 7.

Most of the victims were residents of Paze and Kungaboku who had earlier been abducted by suspected bandits.

During the operation, security forces reportedly killed one bandit while others fled with suspected gunshot wounds. Troops also recovered an AK-47 rifle and a locally fabricated firearm during the raid.

According to reports, the threatening letter was found in a pupil’s notebook by a teacher while marking homework. The discovery prompted the teacher to alert school authorities.

The pupil, parents, teacher and school officials were later invited by the police for questioning, profiled and subsequently released.

News of the threat quickly spread across the communities through social media platforms and local messaging groups, triggering panic among residents.

Tension further escalated when suspected bandits attacked a Fulani settlement in Kungaboku a day before the letter surfaced, abducting three women and demanding a ransom of N70 million.

Kungaboku and Paze, located near Byazhin in the Kubwa axis of Bwari Area Council, have experienced several violent incidents in recent months.

In October 2025, Dr Ifeanyi Ogbu, a veterinary doctor and former chairman of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (FCT chapter), was abducted in Kungaboku alongside his three children.

He was later shot dead in an open field while the children were taken away by the abductors.

Similarly, on March 5, suspected bandits attacked the same community and abducted a retired military officer, Bankole Ganiyu, along with three children.

Ganiyu’s wife, a police officer, and two other children in the house during the attack reportedly escaped unharmed.

In another incident that same day, bandits stormed a nearby farm settlement, killed a vigilante on duty and abducted three workers, while six others managed to escape.

Residents of Paze also reported repeated raids by armed groups who move from house to house abducting victims.

Community sources said at least 12 people, including women and children, have been kidnapped in the past two weeks alone.

Among the victims were four children of a pastor, as well as the wife of a vigilante leader and her sister. In one of the incidents, abductors reportedly left behind a baby during the operation.

In response to the latest threat, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Byazhin convened a meeting with residents and community leaders on Saturday at the palace of the Kungaboku community head, Chief Ishaya Jagaba.

At the meeting, the police confirmed the existence of the threat letter but assured residents that proactive security measures were being put in place to prevent any attack.

Residents were advised to remain vigilant and monitor the activities of commercial motorcyclists and scavengers who sometimes act as informants for criminals.

They were also urged to properly profile new residents moving into the community to ensure they were not informants or criminal elements.

The police further encouraged the community to support the proposed construction of a police post in Kungaboku, assuring that security patrols would be intensified in the area.

Despite the assurances, fear continues to grip Kungaboku and Paze, with some homes deserted as anxious residents await further developments.

Community leaders, however, appealed for calm and urged residents to cooperate with security agencies to prevent further violence.

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