Residents of Katampe Extension in Abuja have raised alarm over what they describe as an unlawful and intimidating crackdown by thugs accompanied by armed policemen, allegedly acting on behalf of the Bwari Area Council.
According to residents, the group stormed the district and forcefully seized gatekeepers working in residential homes, bundling them into a truck without explanation and leaving several homes unsecured with gates left open. The development has triggered tension in the community.
In a statement signed by the President of the Katampe Extension Residents Association, Mohammed Gimba, the community described the raids as “bizarre” and accused the council of using strong-arm tactics to extort residents under the pretext of enforcing radio and television licence payments.
Gimba said the actions of the council amounted to self-help and a blatant violation of the rights of law-abiding citizens. He condemned the arrest and detention of private security guards, house helps and bystanders, instead of engaging with homeowners, describing the operation as “impunity and illegality taken too far.”
He argued that the arrests contravene the Constitution and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which require reasonable suspicion of a crime before a person can be detained. “The law does not allow for ‘substitutional’ detention,” he said, noting that the contentious licence fees are civil matters currently under legal challenge.
The residents further asserted that Katampe Extension falls within the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), not Bwari Area Council, and questioned why levies were reportedly being remitted to private company accounts rather than to government coffers. They added that the community has no visible project executed by Bwari Council to justify any revenue claims.
Gimba warned that the ongoing harassment is creating fear and instability in the community. He urged Bwari Area Council to stop the raids immediately and adopt a consultative approach, adding that residents are open to dialogue but will not tolerate unlawful intimidation.
The association called on the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, as well as the Inspector General of Police and the Judicial Service Commission, to intervene urgently to prevent a potential breakdown of law and order in the district.
