By Sarah Sam Adda
A 32-year-old civil servant, Mrs. Deborah Obianuju, has recounted how she narrowly escaped being kidnapped by tricycle (keke), riders posing as commercial operators in the Gwarinpa area of Abuja.
Speaking with The Punch, Mrs. Obianuju said the incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. while she was returning home from work.
“There were no taxis or Bolt rides available, so I entered a keke with one passenger already seated,” she recalled. “They looked normal until the driver suddenly diverted from the main road into a dark street.”
She said one of the men suddenly pulled out a knife and grabbed her bag.
“They told me to keep quiet if I wanted to live. That was when I realized they wanted to kidnap me,” she said.
Sensing danger, she took a risky chance to save herself. “When the keke slowed down because of potholes, I jumped out while it was still moving.
“The knife cut my arm and my legs were bruised, but I managed to run toward a nearby house screaming for help,” she narrated.
Residents rushed out, but the assailants sped off before help could reach her.
She later reported the incident to the Gwarinpa Police Division, where officers confirmed that similar cases involving fake keke riders had been reported in recent weeks.
“I thank God I’m alive,” she said. “Things are so hard in this country that people now turn to crime. It’s sad that ordinary Nigerians can’t move freely without fear.”
Her ordeal adds to growing concerns over insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory, where kidnapping, robbery, and other violent crimes continue to rise.
“We’re just trying to survive,” Mrs. Obianuju lamented. “The government must do more to protect us because safety now feels like a luxury.”
