Bandits Kidnap FHA Director at Abuja Military Base 

* Demand N290m ransom to release seven hostages abducted in Kuduru

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Bandits Thursday abducted a director of the Federal Housing Authority, Federal Capital Territory (FHA), Aondo Ver, near a military base at Pambara in Bwari Area Council of Abuja.

Ver was abducted from his home, which was about 200 metres from the military base at 12.30 a.m. by gun bearing criminals.

The abduction occurred about the same time the criminals, who abducted seven residents of Kuduru, also in Bwari Area Council in Abuja, placed N290 million ransom to release the hostages. 

Neighbours confirmed that the kidnappers of Ver escaped through the bushes with their victim.

“The attack is still shocking to us. Our estate is very close to the military base here known as ‘camp’ at the entrance of Bwari, and there are also serving and retired military personnel living with us here, yet these bandits were bold enough to attack this place and kidnap Mr Ver,” one of the neighbours said.

A community leader of Kuduru, who did not want to be named, said the bandits had threatened to kill the captives if the N290 million ransom was not paid on time.

The victims, who included a pregnant woman, three children and four adults, were abducted at Kuduru Extension on December 28, 2023.

The community leader added that the abductors also demanded food items including, drugs, bed sheets and cardigans.

“They have reached out to us to bring N290 million to secure their release or that they will kill two of them. We have a pregnant woman and three children among them.

“They asked us to bring bags of rice, packs of Indomie, cough syrups, antibiotics, bedsheets and cardigans for the bandits’ use,” he said.

While lamenting that the captives were already falling sick, he pleaded with the Inspector General of Police (IG), Kayode Egbetokun, and the Chief of Army Staff (CAS), Taoreed Lagbaja, to without delay come to the rescue of the hostages. 

“We know that they are trying their best but we plead with them to rescue our families like they did to the six sisters and the Ariyos.

“We understand that these people are already falling sick in captivity because of the harsh weather and the treatment there,” he said.