Residents of Peze and Kungabokun communities in the Byazhin-Across area of Kubwa, a satellite town in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Teritory (FCT) yesterday shared harrowing accounts of kidnappings in the area.

They said gunmen have continued to attack the area, bordered by hills and bushes, kidnapping residents, including women and children, and moving from house to house.

Some of the residents, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the repeated attacks have heightened their fear, calling on the Federal Government to take immediate and decisive action on the deteriorating security situation in the area.

Philip Ikechukwu, said no fewer than 20 people had been kidnapped within two weeks in the area. He said: “We have been living in fear here.

These people (terrorists) have been coming to raid us shooting guns and abducting men, women and even children, going from house to house. “The kidnapping started two weeks ago and not less than 20 people have been kidnapped, although some escaped while a man and a woman that was kidnapped at one time paid N500, 000 ransom before their release.

“I heard that a pastor’s four children and others who were kidnapped on Tuesday had been rescued by the security personnel.” Kalu Uma, who lives at Ijayapi, a community next to Peze, said kidnapping has become rampant recently in the area.

He said: “I am 29 years in this community. It is of recent we begin to experience this menace. “Today, it is here; tomorrow, it is there and we are worried about the development.” Pastor Tony Anotu of the Revival Family Church, whose four children were kidnapped on March 3, and rescued on Saturday, said the experience was an harrowing one.

According to him, the kidnappers left my baby of about three and a half years. He said throughout the period of his children’s hostage, he couldn’t sleep. Anotu said: “Each time I want to sleep, I will just see their pictures and woke up. I would be thinking what would be their feelings inside the forest.”