Top NFF Official’s Family Reportedly Kidnapped in Abuja, Security Agencies Launch Rescue Mission
- The wife and three children of NFF protocol officer Prince Bameiyi were reportedly abducted in Gwagwalada, Abuja
- Security agencies have intensified operations to rescue the victims and curb rising kidnappings in the FCT
- Recent arrests of notorious kidnap suspects raise hopes for breakthroughs in the ongoing case
Fear and shock gripped residents of Gwagwalada in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) after the family of Prince Bameiyi, a protocol officer with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), was kidnapped by armed men last weekend.
The abduction has intensified public concern about the rising wave of kidnappings in Abuja and surrounding communities.
Source: Getty Images
According to the Abuja City Journal, the incident occurred shortly after Bameiyi returned home from a burial. His wife and three children were seized by the gunmen, who stormed the area and whisked them away to an unknown location.
Relatives of the victims, along with neighbours, have been left traumatised by the ordeal, while security agencies immediately swung into action, pledging to ensure the safe return of the victims, per New National Star.
Authorities have since appealed to residents to remain calm but vigilant, urging them to report suspicious movements to security operatives as investigations continue.
Rising insecurity in Abuja raises alarm
The kidnapping comes at a time when the FCT has been battling increasing security threats.
Cases of abductions, armed robberies, and violent attacks have unsettled residents, raising questions about safety in Nigeria’s capital.
Source: Getty Images
Only last month, operatives of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command announced the arrest of three notorious kidnap suspects who had been terrorising Abuja and neighbouring states, Punch reports.
The suspects, identified as Ya’u Shittu from Kaduna, Sale Usman from Niger, and Ibrahim Abdullahi from Abuja, were captured in sting operations across Kaduna, Niger, and Nasarawa States between June 13 and 18, 2025.
The police linked the trio to multiple kidnappings and murders, including the killing of a pastor in Mpape in 2024 and the abduction of children in the same area.
They also confessed to collecting ransom payments, including N10 million from one abduction case.
Exhibits such as a long knife and charms were recovered during the arrests, while security forces exchanged gunfire with other gang members in Bukuru, Nasarawa State.
Security agencies under pressure
The abduction of Prince Bameiyi’s family has now placed renewed pressure on security agencies to deliver results.
The elite Scorpion Squad of the FCT Command, which carried out the recent high-profile arrests, is believed to be involved in the ongoing rescue efforts.
FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Ajao S. Adewale, has reassured residents of the Command’s commitment to tackling insecurity.
He commended the bravery of the Scorpion Squad and emphasised the need for residents to remain alert and support security operations with timely information.
As the rescue mission intensifies, Nigerians are anxiously awaiting positive news about the safe release of Bameiyi’s wife and children.
Mikel Obi recounts his father’s kidnap ordeal
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel has opened up on what he faced when his father was kidnapped for the second time in 2018, having been previously held in 2011.
Mikel, speaking on a special release on his Obi One Podcast has explained what transpired between him and the kidnappers when his father was kidnapped for the second time.
Source: Legit.ng
