Buzzapp Master 
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the leadership of Minister Nyesom Wike is undergoing significant transformation.
The administration is reviving long-abandoned projects while simultaneously initiating, completing and commissioning new ones. New districts are also being developed, complete with road networks and essential infrastructure such as water supply, electricity, schools, and hospitals.
However, for many residents like Chinyere Joe in Grow Homes Estate, located in the Chikakore area of Kubwa, Abuja’s largest suburb, road infrastructure is not their most urgent concern.
In the early hours of Monday, they were held hostage for over an hour between midnight and 1:30 a.m. when a group of heavily armed kidnappers invaded the estate and abducted some residents.
The attackers, who breached the estate through the rear perimeter fence, overpowered the local vigilance team.
“The police arrived around 1 a.m., and there was a fierce exchange of gunfire for about 30 minutes,” a resident recounted.
“We are appealing to the government to fix the roads to allow easier access for security patrols. We also urge the police and the FCT Administration to establish a station here for rapid response.”
Confirming the incident, Josephine Adeh, FCT Police spokesperson, explained that the release of one of the victims, Chinyere Joe, was the result of an intense gun battle between the police and the armed assailants. Efforts, she added, are ongoing to rescue the second abducted victim.
“Unfortunately, the attackers escaped with the second victim. The Anti-Kidnapping Unit, in collaboration with the army and other security operatives, has launched an operation to track down the fleeing suspects and ensure the safe return of the abducted individual.”
This incident came just days after a similar attack on Efab Global Estate in the Idu Industrial Area of Abuja.
The capital’s deteriorating security was further highlighted by the ordeal of Danlami Mustapha.
“I was working late and left the office around 8 p.m. near Area 11,” Mustapha recounted. “The men in the taxi didn’t look like criminals. They appeared to be in their early 50s. As I got into the car, the man in the front seat suddenly screamed, claiming I had slammed the door on his hand.”
While Mustapha was distracted, the criminals stole his phone and wallet from his bag. After completing the theft, they asked him to get out of the car.
His experience mirrors countless others across Abuja’s suburbs, where ‘one-chance’ robbery syndicates prey on unsuspecting commuters.
These criminal groups operate in coordinated cells, using deception and speed to carry out their thefts with alarming efficiency.
Despite repeated assurances by the government, including Minister Wike’s vows to curb insecurity, residents continue to feel unsafe.
Reports also identify several hotspots around Kurudu, where criminals allegedly consume hard drugs and banned substances, fueling their violent activities.
Once considered Nigeria’s safest city, Abuja is now battling a surge of criminal elements, including bandits and terrorists, who exploit gaps in law enforcement and surveillance.
While residents appreciate the infrastructural developments, they insist that security must receive equal, if not greater, attention. For them, no road, school, or hospital can compensate for the absence of safety in their homes and on the streets.
Read also: Wike says ‘big men’ remain FCT’s biggest problem
Residents speak
Onyebuchi Austin, a commercial taxi driver, said the city’s insecurity has made working at night an act of faith.
“From 2:30 a.m., police presence disappears completely from the city center. That’s when criminals strike,” he said. “The center is protected, but the suburbs—where most people live—are left exposed.”
Austin identified zones like Chika under the bridge and Green Junction as no-go areas for drivers due to rampant crime.
He also criticised the current deployment of police officers, noting that many are assigned to guard private businesses and NGOs instead of patrolling vulnerable communities.
“Sometimes you go to a station during an emergency, and there’s nobody there. They’ve all been assigned to protect private companies. That’s not how to secure a city,” he lamented.
His advice to the government is clear: Recruit more police officers, distribute them strategically across high-risk areas, and return to intelligence-driven, preventive policing.
“We used to have CID officers working on solid intelligence. Now it feels like we’re always reacting after the damage is done.”
The residents’ growing unease in Abuja underscores a harsh reality: Infrastructure cannot thrive without security. Development can only be meaningful if the people it serves feel safe.
Experts speak
Kabir Adamu, a security analyst and managing director of Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited, stated that Abuja is no longer the safe haven it once was.
Citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics’ 2024 Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey (CESPS), Adamu explained, “Abuja is now exhibiting the same chaos we see in less secure parts of the country. Kidnappings, estate invasions, and urban scams expose deep flaws in our policing and security architecture.”
He emphasised the urgent need for coherent, intelligence-led urban security strategies and called for reforms in governance and law enforcement coordination.
“The federal government must modernize security frameworks and empower local authorities with the operational tools they need,” Adamu advised. “The FCT Minister should have security command capabilities equivalent to those of a state governor. Without that, the suburbs will continue to be vulnerable.”
Chidi Omeje, security expert, echoed these concerns, describing Abuja as one of the scariest cities in the world today, plagued by kidnappers, ‘one-chance’ robbers, and criminal gangs. He noted an alarming increase in security breaches, particularly in outlying areas such as Bwari, Kubwa, Lugbe, Nyanya, Kuje, and Appleside, where nightlife is disappearing and fear is becoming the norm.
“Abuja is supposed to be much more fortified,” Omeje said. “But that’s not the case. Security infractions have become commonplace. People no longer go out like they used to. There’s a growing sense of fear.”
Omeje urged Minister Wike to shift focus from infrastructure to security, calling for stronger inter-agency collaboration and logistical improvements, including better mobility and communication equipment.
“We need to invest in human capital and public safety. If the suburbs are both developed and secured, crime will decline. But places like Lugbe, Kubwa, and Kuje have been neglected for far too long.”
His sentiment is shared by many residents who criticise Wike’s emphasis on physical infrastructure without commensurate efforts to improve security. They argue that visible projects like roads, bridges, and bus stops are hollow achievements if residents continue to live in fear.
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