Abuja Under Siege: When the Capital’s Promise Becomes a Hunting Ground.

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG.com

Power, pomp and paranoia – Nigeria’s seat of government is being hollowed out by crime.

Abuja was designed to be Nigeria’s safest city, a meticulously planned capital where power, diplomacy and order converge. It was built to stand apart from the chaos of Lagos and the volatility of other Nigerian regions. Yet today, this “CITY of PEACE” is steadily transforming into a hunting ground for kidnappers, robbers and violent opportunists who stalk its highways and suburbs with audacious confidence.

Between January and December 2024, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command recorded over 1,400 reported crimes, including 268 armed robberies, 104 kidnappings and hundreds of other violent incidents. While officials claim there has been a “15% DECLINE in CRIME” compared to 2023, most residents feel the opposite, that the fear on Abuja’s streets is not receding but mutating into something more menacing.

“When citizens no longer feel safe in the capital, it is not just a security failure – it is a failure of governance itself.”
~ Prof. Etannibi Alemika, criminologist, University of Jos

The irony is striking: the city that houses the Presidential Villa, the National Assembly and the Supreme Court has itself become a theater of lawlessness. From the affluent districts of Maitama and Asokoro to the densely populated suburbs of Kubwa, Gwagwalada and Kuje, insecurity now transcends class, geography and status.

The Rise of “ONE-CHANCE” Criminality.
Among Abuja’s most terrifying trends is the surge in “one-chance” robberies, a crime where unsuspecting commuters board vehicles that appear legitimate, only to be assaulted, robbed or even abducted en route. These syndicates operate with precision, exploiting rush-hour desperation and the gaps in urban surveillance.

“Abuja is no longer the sanitized capital it once was,” says security analyst Kabir Adamu of Beacon Consulting. “The city’s rapid expansion has outpaced its policing capacity. Criminals have learned to adapt faster than our systems can respond.”

This adaptation is visible everywhere. Satellite towns such as Lugbe, Karu, Nyanya and Dei-Dei are hotspots, where kidnappings often go unreported due to fear or lack of trust in the police. Even near heavily guarded areas, brazen robberies have occurred, challenging the illusion that power offers protection.

The Politics of Fear and Failure.
The insecurity in Abuja is not an isolated outbreak; it is a symptom of systemic decay. The capital’s policing architecture has become reactive rather than proactive, a cycle of deploying special units after tragedies rather than preventing them.

Following a wave of kidnappings early this year, the FCT Administration announced the creation of new tactical teams. Yet within weeks, another series of abductions hit the Bwari axis and Gwagwalada. The pattern is painfully clear: TEMPORARY MEASURES THAT COLLAPSE ONCE MEDIA ATTENTION FADES.

“The crisis of Abuja is not a lack of guns; it is a lack of governance.”
~ George O. Sylvester

The FCT’s unique status as a federal territory has also complicated accountability. Local area councils lack the autonomy and resources to implement long-term crime-prevention strategies. Meanwhile, federal agencies overlap and sometimes compete for jurisdiction, creating a bureaucratic fog that criminals exploit.

Economic Desperation: The Hidden Driver.
Crime does not rise in a vacuum. Abuja’s glittering skyline hides deep social inequality. Unemployment among youths in the FCT stood at over 33% in 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The rapid urban influx has outstripped housing, education and employment infrastructure, leaving thousands of young men idle, angry and susceptible to criminal networks.

Dr. Jide Ojo, a public affairs analyst, warns that “until the socioeconomic foundations are addressed, the police will always be chasing shadows.” In his view, sustainable security cannot exist where basic livelihoods are collapsing.

A City Losing Its Moral Centre.
Abuja’s insecurity has eroded not just safety but confidence in state institutions. When diplomats require armed convoys to attend official events, when residents crowd online forums to warn each other of unsafe roads and when families begin setting curfews for fear of abduction, the symbolism of the capital as the “SEAT of ORDER” collapses.

The effects ripple through the economy: fewer investors, reduced nightlife and an unquantifiable psychological cost. The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) estimates that insecurity has contributed to a 20% drop in small business activity across FCT suburbs in the past year.

“Fear is bad for business and right now, Abuja’s economy is being taxed by terror.”
~ Muda Yusuf, Economist & CEO, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise

What Must Be Done.
Intelligence-Led Policing:
Abuja’s security apparatus must move beyond random patrols. A data-driven approach (using surveillance technology, integrated command centres and neighborhood intelligence networks) is crucial.

Community Partnership:
Community policing should be institutionalised. Local vigilance groups can be formalised and trained to complement the police under strict oversight.

Accountability and Reform:
Corruption within security ranks must be confronted head-on. A 2024 CLEEN Foundation report found that over 40% of Nigerians distrust police response due to alleged collusion and bribery. Without reform, no amount of hardware will help.

Socioeconomic Interventions:
Government must invest in urban employment schemes, vocational training, and affordable housing to address root causes. Crime feeds on desperation; hope is its antidote.

Transparency:
Security briefings should become regular, honest, and data-backed — not propaganda exercises. Citizens deserve clarity, not spin.

A Capital at a Crossroads.
Every great city mirrors its country’s soul. Abuja’s current descent reflects Nigeria’s broader struggle between governance and collapse, promise and paralysis. If the capital (the heart of political power) cannot guarantee safety, what message does that send to Kano, Port Harcourt or Jos?

As the late Chinua Achebe warned in The Trouble with Nigeria, “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership.” Today, that failure echoes across Abuja’s darkened streets and deserted highways.

If this crisis is not reversed, the city will not just lose its peace, it will lose its purpose. A nation that cannot secure its capital cannot claim sovereignty. Abuja must rise again, not by rhetoric, but by reform and relentless resolve.