The Federal Capital Territory Administration ( FCTA) has said it is considering deploying drone technology for monitoring and surveillance of remote ungoverned spaces around the rural communities.

Thus disclosure was made by the Director, Security Services Department of the FCTA, Adamu Gwari, on Monday, when the Ministerial taskforce demolished one of the forests suspected to have been providing a hideout to kidnappers around Kpaduma and Kobi communities, in the outskirts of Asokoro and Guzape extension.

Recall that a week ago, there was a case of kidnapping and raping of residents of these villages. An operation in which the police confirmed and later said that a member of the local vigilante was killed, while the kidnapped victims were rescued.

The Director, who was represented by Dr Peter Olumuji, noted that police observation posts would also be established in the routes leading to these communities, to provide 24-hour surveillance.

“But it’s not just about forest guards. The FCT administration is also deploying technology, including round-the-clock surveillance drones across all forests within the territory.

“ The forest leads to Jikwoyi, Karu, Oronzo, Kuduru, among other places, making the villages vulnerable to kidnapping activities. When you look at the bush from outside, it looks like the bush is not passable, but entering into the cashew forest, you will see that a lot of foot paths have been created, making the villages around here vulnerable”, he added.

Also speaking, FCTA’s Director, Department of Development Control, Muktar Galadima, said the clearance exercise was necessitated by a series of kidnappings reported to have taken place within the communities.

Galadima noted that the kidnappers who struck Kobi and Kpaduma villages last week, Monday, 15 September 2025, were chased down to this forest.

He said, “The purpose of our visit to this site is to clear this forest, which has become an ungoverned space. About a week ago, there was a reported case of kidnapping, and the suspects were traced to this area. In the course of the rescue attempt, one of the vigilante officers lost his life. That is why we are here this morning to ensure all the trees are brought down.

“I’ve just been informed by the representative of the village chief that they support this action and will cooperate with us in clearing everything, because they, too, have been victims of the situation. They are not asking for compensation, only for total clearance of the trees”.