In a distressing escalation of security threats near Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), a family in the border community of Zhibi was targeted by a group of heavily armed terrorists.
The assailants forcibly abducted a businessman, Muhammad Shuaibu, and his two daughters from their home, highlighting the persistent jurisdictional challenges affecting security responses in the area.
- It was reported that the event took place at Zhibi community, Tafa Local Government Area, Niger State. Zhibi borders Dei-Dei town, an area adjacent to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the victims, Muhammad Shuaibu (Businessman) and his two daughters, one of whom is a 200-level university student, and her younger sister.
- And the Time of Attack was approximately 12:00 AM on Friday. The terrorists forced their way into the residence by breaking the burglar-proof padlock on the back door. They proceeded to the rooms, including the bedroom of the family head’s wife.
A family source recounted the terrifying sequence of events, tells DailyTrust Newspaper in Abuja. The attack began when the armed terrorists gained entry through the back of the house. The wife, roused by their presence, saw the assailants in her room and quickly fled to her husband’s room.
The terrorists then gathered the entire family in the sitting room, initially threatening to abduct everyone. The immediate danger forced the wife to desperately plead for the life of her infant, a plea that ultimately persuaded the terrorists to spare her and the baby.
Before leaving with Muhammad Shuaibu and his two daughters, the terrorists seized the mobile phones belonging to the husband and wife. They also attempted to seize foodstuffs, but none were available in the house.
Communication and Security Challenges
As of Monday afternoon, no communication or ransom demand had been established between the terrorists and the victim’s relatives. The incident exposes a significant security challenge stemming from inter-state jurisdiction:
- The family’s distress calls revealed major gaps in security coverage. The local police outpost in Zhibi has insufficient personnel. Attempts to secure assistance from the larger Dei-Dei Police Division were fruitless, as officers there reportedly cited their allegiance to the FCT Command, while the crime occurred across the border in Niger State territory.
- When contacted on Monday, the Police Area Commander in Suleja, Muhammad Sani Musa, did not respond to inquiries. However, a police source in the area did confirm the attack, stating that tracking efforts to locate the abductors were “ongoing.”
The attack underscores the vulnerability of communities along the FCT’s perimeter, which are often exploited by terrorist elements due to slow or uncoordinated security responses across state lines.
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