SaharaReporters learnt that the ruler, identified as Sarki Kuchibuyi, Chief Isiaka, was picked up by the gunmen on Sunday morning from his palace in the presence of his family members.
There is tension presently in Kuchibuyi community, Kubwa town, in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, after gunmen suspected to be terrorists kidnapped the traditional ruler.
SaharaReporters learnt that the ruler, identified as Sarki Kuchibuyi, Chief Isiaka, was picked up by the gunmen on Sunday morning from his palace in the presence of his family members.
Eyewitnesses told SaharaReporters that the traditional ruler was whisked away by the gunmen and fear had since heightened in the area as the attackers had yet to contact the family members for ransom.
“The gunmen invaded the community around 1 am on Sunday, and started shooting sporadically. They picked up our Sarki, Isiaka and went away. They did not touch any other family member,” one of the witnesses said.
“Most times, the chief usually slept in a hotel because he might have got some intelligence that the bandits were looking for him. But till recently when he thought he was secure, he returned to his palace but behold, he was attacked and kidnapped,” another source said.
SaharaReporters learnt that Nigerian Army personnel and some police operatives from the Kubwa Area Command visited the community on Sunday with an Armoured Personnel Carrier and evaluated the crime scene but no one was arrested as the gunmen had already fled with the ruler.
“There is panic presently in our community. We don’t have a police station. We don’t have a security presence. We are vulnerable. If the bandits could pick up our traditional ruler, who then is safe? Recently, the terrorists also picked up a traditional ruler in Kuchiko, a neighbouring area and he was later released after payment of ransom,” a resident identified as Adamu Baba said.
The FCT Police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, when contacted by SaharaReporters, said she was attending a management meeting and would get back with reactions. She, however, had yet to do so at the time of filing this report.