Panic in as Abuja as suspected bandits issue threat letter

Scores of residents in Kungaboku and neighbouring Paze communities in the Federal Capital Territory have fled their homes amid fears of an imminent attack following a threatening letter allegedly issued by suspected bandits.

The letter, reportedly discovered inside a pupil’s school bag at a private school, warned of a coordinated assault on the two communities to avenge the killing of a bandit commander during a recent security operation.

According to reports, the message surfaced when a teacher in Paze found it tucked inside a child’s notebook while marking homework. Alarmed by the contents, the teacher alerted authorities, prompting swift intervention by security agencies.

Police subsequently invited the pupil, the child’s parents, the teacher, and school administrators for questioning. After interrogation and profiling, all parties were released, with no further details disclosed publicly.

The threat is believed to be connected to a successful rescue mission carried out on March 7 by troops of the Guards Brigade. During the operation, soldiers of the 7 Guards Battalion, working alongside police personnel and local vigilantes, freed 19 kidnapped victims in the Gidan Dogo axis of the Bwari Area Council.

Most of the rescued individuals were said to be residents of Kungaboku and Paze.

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Security sources indicated that at least one suspected bandit was killed during the encounter, while several others escaped with gunshot wounds — a development thought to have triggered the retaliatory threat.

News of the letter spread quickly through community networks and social media, sparking panic across the area. Many families reportedly abandoned their homes, seeking safety in neighbouring towns and with relatives.

Kungaboku and Paze, located near Byazhin on the outskirts of Kubwa in Bwari Area Council, have in recent times experienced repeated incidents of bandit attacks, kidnappings, and violent incursions, contributing to growing insecurity in parts of the Federal Capital Territory.

Residents are now calling for increased military presence and sustained security operations to prevent further violence and restore confidence in the affected communities.

Authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the latest development, but security patrols are said to have been intensified across the area.