Fear gripped residents of a community in the Federal Capital Territory after hoodlums brutally murdered a 38-year-old Uber driver during a late-night raid that left families in shock and mourning.
The victim, identified as Mr. Vincent Bala, was attacked after being mistaken for the manager of a local bakery, which the assailants claimed they were searching for.
The hoodlums reportedly stormed the village in the early hours of Sunday, demanding valuables from residents before turning on Bala.
According to eyewitnesses, the attackers carted away two mobile phones, cash, and other household items.
Bala, who resisted their threats, was stabbed multiple times before the criminals fled the scene.
“He was not the person they were looking for, but they still attacked him. It was a senseless killing,” a resident told reporters.
Bala was rushed to Garki General Hospital by neighbours, but was pronounced dead on arrival by medical personnel. His remains have since been deposited in the hospital’s mortuary.
The shocking incident, which occurred in Takushara Village within the Kabusa axis of Abuja, has sparked fear among residents, many of whom now worry about the increasing spate of violent crimes in satellite communities of the FCT.
Community members have called for urgent intervention from security agencies, insisting that repeated attacks in the area have been met with little or no action.
“We can’t sleep with our eyes closed anymore. If the government doesn’t act quickly, more innocent people will suffer,” another villager lamented.
Police authorities confirmed that an investigation has been launched to track down the perpetrators.
Officers have reportedly intensified surveillance in the area while appealing to residents to remain calm and cooperate with security operatives.
The attack adds to growing concerns about insecurity in the nation’s capital, where cases of armed robbery, kidnapping, and violent assaults continue to unsettle suburban communities.