Residents of Saburi residential district in DeiDei area of Abuja are now living in heightened fear following renewed activities of hoodlums.
According to them, the hoodlums send scavengers to survey the area before striking.
The gunmen have attacked the area about thrice since January 1 and made away with valuables, and money worth millions of Naira, residents say.
It was gathered that some of the gunmen who were masked first attacked the area during the crossover night on December 31, 2024, while residents were returning from church.
The gunmen specifically attacked houses in Ikejani street, Osumeayi Street, Sani Abacha lane, and Saburi.
During the attack, the hoodlums attempted to destroy the eyes of a security man in a failed move to eliminate him. They also shot at a resident who tried to prevent them from gaining access into his compound.
Residents recount ordeal
A resident, who wished to be anonymous, disclosed that Saburi used to be synonymous with kidnapping.
He said to curb the menace, residents mounted three gates at various locations around the community.
“We had three gates due to rampant kidnappings. Every two or three days they would pick somebody.
“Now, they have resorted to armed robbery.
Only God can help because when people more than 20 with guns invade a place what can you do? I believe they collaborated with some boys from here and those from Saburi One to carry out the attack,” he revealed.
The security guard on duty, Sunday Ogbor, recounted how they attempted to kill him by cutting through his face and leaving him for dead.
Ogbor revealed: “I was at the security house when I heard voices and I thought they were my fellow guards who usually come by 3am to call my attention to ring the security bell.
When I came out with my gun and knife, they collected them and started hitting me on my head, one jumped on my chest, while another tied me.
“While they were rough-handling me, I was shouting and they kept hitting me, they used the knife to cut me from my ear through my eyes to my other ear.
After the incident, some people came and rushed me to hospital. Now, I can’t see properly.”
Another resident, Gift Udago of Sani Abacha lane in Saburi recalled how the boys numbering over 30 invaded his house, broke his window protector and used a matchet on his doors in an attempt to rob him and his tenants.
Early in the morning on Monday, the boys about 30 pushed down my gate and came inside.
“I looked out the window and saw that they were many, I didn’t know what to do, even the tenants were all scared that night because they came with matchets, axes, and guns.
They were shouting ‘where is the money – your money and your phones’ – they packed a lot of things after scattering my things, including my door.
“That night was so terrible for me because I have never experienced such in my life.
This is not the first time; on 31 December, 2024, the same boys attacked the other side of Saburi, on 15th of January they also attacked the Four Bedroom area of Saburi, they even shot somebody on his leg.
“These are the issues we are facing and we are praying that the government will address it,” he said.
The Women Leader of Saburi, Princess Amaka Chijioke said the boys had information that she withdrew a large volume of money, which they made away with.
She said: “I have had an experience with these boys three times. The first one was terrible because they just jumped inside my room. I had just lost a son then.
They threatened to murder my second son the way the first died, after which they carried everything.
“They came informed I had withdrawn money from the bank, which I kept in my room. While I tried to hide the money in the toilet, one of them smartly followed me and carried the bag.
The moment God removed them from my room, I picked my son and ran to one of my tenants.
“The fact is that when they were robbing me, the tenants were not even aware of it. There were about 20 people that invaded the compound.
We are asking the government to come to our aid because this is too much, they use machetes and guns, they shot somebody the day before yesterday. It’s not an experience somebody wants to narrate.”
