Some communities in the Kwali Area Council of the FCT have raised an alarm over the increased attacks on motorcyclists in the area.

Locals report that attacks on commercial cyclists, especially along Dabi/Bako Road and the Piri axis, have become worrisome, with some victims even being killed.

Residents who spoke with Abuja Metro highlighted that the rising cases of violent bike snatching along these roads have led to a significant loss of lives.

Mr. Danjuma Yakubu, a resident of Bako village, stated that innocent people are being attacked, injured with cutlasses, and robbed of their motorcycles.

“There is no week without a report of motorcycle snatching in this area,” he said.

“In many of these incidents, these hoodlums end up killing the victims on the spot, while some die in the hospital.”

Comrade Ibrahim Sani, another resident, described the rate of motorcycle snatching as alarming, calling for urgent attention and collective action. “The lives and safety of our people must be prioritized,” he asserted.

“It is unacceptable that innocent citizens can no longer go about their daily lives in peace, simply for fear of being attacked and robbed of their property, especially motorcycles,” he added.

Cyclist hospitalized after attack

Suspected hoodlums reportedly stabbed commercial cyclist Muhammed Suleiman and escaped with his motorcycle along Dabi-Bako village in Kwali Area Council of the FCT.

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The victim, currently receiving treatment at a private hospital, recounted the incident which occurred on Thursday around 7:12 pm near Bako forest.

He explained that he had picked up a passenger at Dabi junction to Bako village and was returning when two individuals emerged from the forest and flagged him down. Immediately after he stopped, one of the hoodlums pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the head, causing a deep injury.

“As I was coming back from Bako village after dropping the passenger, two boys suddenly emerged from the forest and flagged me down, and one of them was carrying a dagger,” he narrated.

He added, “When I realized that they were hoodlums, I decided to zoom off, but one of them pulled out a knife and started stabbing me in my head, and I fell to the ground.”

Suleiman said he started bleeding and became unconscious. The hoodlums then took his bike and sped off. “I think that is all I could remember until the next day when I saw myself at the hospital with a bandage on my head,” he said.

He had bought the motorcycle only a week prior in Gwagwalada to use for commercial purposes and support his family.

Another rider attacked, bike snatched near piri village

Another cyclist, identified as Yakubu Musa, was also reportedly attacked by suspected hoodlums along the Yangoji-Piri village road in the council.

Ismaila Bala, a resident of Yangoji, stated that this incident occurred on Saturday evening around 5:45 pm. The victim had picked up two passengers from Yangoji to the neighboring Piri village. After about a kilometer to Piri, one of the hoodlums pulled out a pistol and forced the cyclist to divert into a bush path.

“The hoodlums forced the Okada man to take another route after they pointed a pistol at him, and out of fear, he complied,” Bala said.

“The next thing they did was to tie him on his legs and hands and escape with his bike.”

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According to Bala, the cyclist was later rescued by vigilantes who were alerted by villagers returning from their farms that evening.

Residents demand police checkpoints

In response to these incidents, some residents have demanded the immediate establishment of police checkpoints in the affected areas.

They are also seeking collaborative efforts with vigilantes around the Dabi-Bako and Yangoji-Piri axes to checkmate the incessant cases of bike theft and the loss of innocent lives.

Additionally, they have called on the area council authorities to mount solar street lights, especially along Dabi-Bako road, to deter the activities of hoodlums.

Local police have confirmed receiving reports of motorcycle theft along these axes, adding that efforts are underway to clamp down on the perpetrators.

However, the spokeswoman of the FCT police command, SP Josephine Adeh, could not be reached for comment at the time of filing this report.