Terrorists have abducted Chief Aliyu Hakimi, the traditional ruler of Kuchibuyi community, Bwari Local Government Area (LGA), Abuja.

The terrorists arrived in the community on foot in the wee hours of Sunday and started doing damage to Hakimi’s house, a source told FIJ.

On condition of anonymity, this source, who witnessed the abduction, told FIJ the terrorists broke Hakimi’s windows and doors, forcing the traditional ruler to run out to inquire about their motive and offer them cash.

“Sometime around midnight, some terrorists came to the community and moved straight to the king’s house,” said the source. “They started shooting around the neighborhood. Some people had not slept at the time.

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“They jumped the fence and began breaking his windows and doors. The man came out and asked what they wanted. They interacted in Hausa, as both parties understood Hausa. He asked if they wanted money but they refused his offer and carried him instead. They trekked. It was around 1 am.”

The source said soldiers arrived at the scene in military tanks at about 6 am, five hours after the monarch’s abduction.

“At about 6 am, military men came with about six military tanks and about five Hilux vans loaded with military men. They spent about two hours in the village.

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“While they were there, a call came from Hakimi’s phone. He was calling the Mogaji, his traditional assistant. The abductors spoke on the phone. They said, ‘You people have gone to inform the military. Don’t worry, you will contend with us’.

“They later gave the phone to the Hakimi, and he warned his Mogaji not to send the military to the bush, which means there may be an informant amongst us.

“The military spent some time and then moved towards Bwari. No one knows if they entered the bush or forest, but there has been no contact since. After the military left, police came, spent some time and left.”

This is not the first time anyone would be abducted in the region, said the source. In July 2021, terrorists abducted the wife of a retired naval officer who resides some 20 meters away from Hakimi’s residence and later took a N4.5 million ransom to secure her release.

“Almost twice a year, there are about two abductions on that route, but there exists no security presence there. That route connects Niger, Kaduna and Bwari. We hear bikes moving on that route almost every night,” the source said.

FIJ called Onyema Nwachukwu, spokesman of the Nigerian Army, but he did not answer his calls. A message sent to him was yet to be replied to as of press time.