ABUJA, Nigeria — The escalating climate of insecurity across Nigeria took a sharp turn on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, with multiple kidnappings in Abuja and Niger State, further highlighting the country’s deepening crisis.
Seven mourners were abducted in a rural settlement in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), while 24 individuals were kidnapped from a rice farm in Niger State, marking another tragic chapter in the nation’s fight against violence and lawlessness.
In Abuja, the attack occurred at Gidan Bijimi, a border community in Bwari Area Council.
Sources revealed that the victims, six girls and a 16-year-old boy, were abducted during a coordinated attack by armed men dressed in police and army uniforms.
The gunmen, who arrived around 10 p.m., shot and injured several individuals during the raid, including a shop owner and a police officer in the convoy’s pilot car.
Witnesses described the pilot car as riddled with bullets but confirmed that the victims survived.
The police spokesperson for Anambra, Ikenga Tochukwu, confirmed that a white Mercedes-Benz SUV was snatched during the attack and has been recovered by authorities.
The abduction took place just days after FCT Minister Nyesom Wike launched Operation Sweep, aimed at strengthening security and reducing crime in Abuja.
The attack underscores the growing vulnerability of border communities, despite heightened surveillance efforts.
The FCT police commissioner, Miller Dantawaye, had also assured residents of robust security measures, but this latest incident has raised questions about the effectiveness of these interventions.
In Niger State, 24 people, including pregnant women, were kidnapped from a rice farm in Palaita village, located in Shiroro Local Government Area.
The police confirmed the abduction and have initiated efforts to locate and rescue the victims.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said the police were actively working on the case, with a coordinated effort underway to locate the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, in Plateau State, Governor Caleb Mutfwang delivered a grim report on the escalating violence in the region.
Speaking at the North Central Zonal Public Hearing on National Security, Mutfwang revealed that over 12,000 people had been killed and more than 420 communities attacked between 2001 and May 2025.
He condemned the deliberate and systematic nature of the attacks, which he attributed to organized criminal networks, territorial ambitions, and political manipulation.
Mutfwang emphasized that the violence in Plateau was not merely a local issue but part of a broader national security crisis that required urgent attention.
He also highlighted the economic and social toll of the violence, which had displaced thousands and devastated once-thriving communities.
“This is not the time to compare who has lost more lives across ethnic or religious divides. This is the time to unite and act decisively,” he said.
In response to the growing insecurity in Abuja, the House of Representatives has set up a special ad-hoc committee to investigate the surge in crime, particularly kidnappings, armed robberies, and murders.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas condemned the state of affairs, describing the situation as “unacceptable and intolerable.”
He raised concerns over the effectiveness of the $460 million CCTV surveillance network, funded by a Chinese loan, which was meant to bolster security across the FCT.
Abbas urged the committee to conduct a forensic review of the project and determine why it has failed to deliver on its promises.
The committee will also examine any negligence or sabotage that may have hindered the system’s ability to prevent crime, with a focus on activating the system or considering a complete overhaul.
Abbas called on various government officials, including the ministers of the FCT, finance, and interior, the Inspector General of Police, and local security agencies, to fully support the investigation.
He also appealed to traditional rulers to enhance their collaboration with security forces through better intelligence sharing.
