Child-stealing syndicate targets FCT communities

Gwagwa and Jiwa—two neighbouring communities under the Jiwa Chiefdom in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)—are witnessing a disturbing rise in child-theft incidents, Daily Trust gathered.

Within the last two weeks, about five children have reportedly been taken from the area. On Friday, another attempt was foiled after a woman was caught with a child and was already seated on a commercial motorcycle, allegedly preparing to escape with her victim.

The latest victim is a three-year-old girl, Bilkisu Abdulkarim, who was abducted in front of her parents’ home in Gwagwa town.

A family member, Ruqayya Ibrahim, narrated the incident to Abuja Metro. She said the suspect approached the girl and her two older siblings around 4pm while they were playing outside their compound.

“The two siblings ran into the compound, where I was sitting with their mother. They said a woman had approached them and offered to buy them biscuits. Their mother asked if they accepted anything, and they said, ‘No.’ When we asked about the girl, they said she was still outside.

“Their mother told them to bring her in, but they returned to say they saw the woman carrying the girl away. We rushed outside to the main road, where we found the woman already seated on a commercial motorcycle with the child.

“The mother shouted ‘thief, thief!’ People gathered immediately, and some youths beat her up, even as she claimed she was taking the girl to the police station.”

The victim’s father, Abdulkarim Yahaya, said he was in the mosque for the late-afternoon prayer when he received a call informing him that his daughter had been abducted but rescued.

“I ran to the main road, where I met the woman. She had been rescued from a mob by a community leader, the Danmadami of Jiwa, who put her in his car and handed her over to the police at the Gwagwa Division,” he said.

Abuja Metro also met the Danmadami, Alhaji Dauda Muhammad, who doubles as Sarkin Hausawa of the community. He said he had received at least four other reports of missing children from Gwagwa and Jiwa in recent weeks.

He explained that his intervention prevented the suspect from being lynched before she was handed over to the police.

According to him, the suspect claimed during questioning that she lived in Madalla, in the Suleja area of Niger State.

“She said she was looking for a room to rent in the area and saw the girl, who she claimed had fallen into a drainage ditch. I asked her why she didn’t look for the parents or anyone nearby instead of taking the girl on her back and boarding a motorcycle. She said she wanted to take her to the police station,” he said.

The suspect was taken to a clinic by the police for treatment of an injury she sustained on her forehead before being moved back into custody.

Efforts to reach the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Gwagwa, CSP Muktar Adamu, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to phone calls.

A resident, Gazali Salisu, whose five-year-old daughter, Safiyya, has been missing since November 16, said she is suspected to be another victim of the syndicate. He said his three older children had left for the sunset prayer, and Safiyya, who was at home with her mother, may have stepped out to follow them.

“When they returned, they said she was not with them. Since then, all efforts to trace her have failed,” he said.

Human rights activist Comrade Nura Muktar, who first drew attention to the situation, said awareness campaigns are now ongoing in mosques and churches to sensitise parents to monitor their children’s movements more closely, especially during the ember months.

Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5 million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25 million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than wonder, click here to find out how it works.

Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.