A new wave of mass kidnappings across parts of Niger State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has intensified public concern over Nigeria’s deteriorating security climate, as national newspapers on Friday reported the abduction of a pregnant woman and more than 30 other residents in separate attacks.
According to multiple media reviews, armed bandits launched coordinated assaults on at least three communities between late Wednesday and Thursday morning, targeting vulnerable rural settlements and commuters travelling on poorly secured routes. The incidents are part of a growing trend of organized kidnappings that have plagued the North-central region in recent months.
Residents said the attackers operated with impunity, moving house to house and herding victims into the forest before security forces could respond. In one of the raids, a pregnant woman was reportedly taken along with several family members, prompting widespread outrage and renewed calls for urgent government intervention.
Security analysts note that the latest kidnappings mirror a broader escalation in bandit activities, with criminal groups expanding their operational footprint and adapting tactics despite recent military operations aimed at degrading their networks. Communities in Niger East, Kuje, and Bwari areas of the FCT have been particularly affected, experiencing repeated incursions over the last quarter.
The emotional toll on victims’ families is growing, with many expressing frustration over what they describe as delayed or inconsistent responses from authorities. In some cases, residents claim they received little warning or assistance despite earlier reports of bandit movements in neighboring villages.
Civil society organizations have also weighed in, urging the federal government to move beyond “reactive deployments” and invest in long-term preventive strategies, including improved rural intelligence gathering, community-based surveillance systems, and strengthened inter-agency coordination.
Meanwhile, security agencies maintain that operations to track and rescue the abducted individuals are ongoing. The police and military have reportedly intensified aerial and ground surveillance in affected forest corridors, though details of these efforts remain limited.
As communities brace for the possibility of further attacks, many Nigerians continue to call for structural reforms in national security management, arguing that the rate and scale of abductions underscore deep-rooted vulnerabilities that require more decisive and sustained action.
The latest kidnappings serve as another stark reminder that for thousands of citizens, especially in rural and peri-urban settings, daily life remains overshadowed by the fear of sudden violence, a reality that stakeholders say can no longer be managed with temporary measures alone.
