Residents of Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, are living under the shadow of fear as cases of kidnapping continue to surge across the city, with criminal gangs launching daring operations that have left communities on edge and local authorities scrambling for answers.
Armed abductors have been targeting residential areas, forcibly taking victims from their homes or surroundings, and demanding millions of naira in ransom. Victims and residents have described the operations as coordinated, brutal, and increasingly frequent.
In one harrowing account, a recent victim who spoke on condition of anonymity described being seized just outside his house around 8:50 p.m. by a group of young men wielding firearms.
“I was about to enter my house when they suddenly appeared and ordered me to stop. At gunpoint, they picked me up, and we trekked through the night for more than 11 hours,” he said, visibly shaken.
He identified the kidnappers as likely Fulani youths, based on the language they spoke, and said they subjected him to brutal treatment and constant death threats.
His release came only after his family struggled to raise a hefty ransom, even borrowing money to secure his freedom.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve such an experience. I saw death with my eyes,” he added tearfully.
Another victim, also abducted within the Lafia metropolis, painted a picture of a highly organized criminal network with deep local intelligence.
“They have informants and a strong network. They kept me somewhere near Doma Barracks until my family paid the ransom,” he disclosed. “Nigeria is in serious trouble if this continues unchecked.”
The most affected areas include Lafia North, the Polytechnic and College of Agriculture axis, Shabu, Danka, Tudun Kauri, Tudun Amba, and Kwandere. Residents say these neighbourhoods have seen a disturbing spike in abductions, with criminals operating almost with impunity.
Mr. Justus Adelabu, a resident of Shabu, attributed the rising insecurity to the influx of unfamiliar individuals into the area.
“Recently, a police officer was kidnapped and killed in the College area. If security agents are not safe, then who is?” he lamented.
Residents are now calling on security agencies for urgent intervention. Demands include increased patrols in vulnerable areas, proper profiling of commercial tricycle and motorcycle operators—who are suspected of acting as informants—and the dismantling of known kidnap cells operating in and around the city.
Many fear that without swift action, Lafia could descend further into lawlessness, turning its once peaceful neighborhoods into danger zones.