Police Rescue Man From Mob Over Alleged Attempt To Abduct 5-year-old

A five-year-old child in Angwan Lado, Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was at the centre of a tense incident after a man was allegedly caught attempting to abduct her, prompting a mob to attack him.

The suspect, identified by the police as Bashir Usman, was rescued by operatives of the Kuje Police Division before the situation could turn fatal.

The FCT Police Command said it received a distress call at about 2:46 pm on 4th October, 2026, reporting that an unidentified man was being assaulted by a mob over an alleged attempt to abduct a child.

Police officers dispatched to the scene found the suspect being attacked by the crowd and intervened to prevent what the command described as a possible case of jungle justice.

According to the FCT police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, preliminary investigations indicated that Usman was being assaulted over allegations that he attempted to abduct the five-year-old child in front of her residence in Angwan Lado.

The circumstances surrounding what happened before the mob intervention remain under investigation, with the police saying the suspect has been taken into protective custody while detectives work to establish the facts.

The command also said investigations were being expanded to determine whether the suspect had any accomplices or links to other activities.

For residents, the incident has once again brought into sharp focus the fear surrounding the safety of children in communities, particularly when allegations of attempted abduction trigger immediate anger and panic.

For the five-year-old and her family, the investigation now holds the hope of providing answers to what happened that afternoon in Angwan Lado—and whether the man rescued from the mob was acting alone or was part of a wider threat to children in the community.

But while the police intervention may have prevented the suspect from being killed by the mob, the command warned that vigilantism could undermine the search for the truth and ultimately deny both suspects and victims due process.

The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, condemned jungle justice and warned members of the public against taking the law into their own hands.

Sanusi said mob action was not only unlawful but could amount to murder, urging residents to hand suspected criminals over to the police for proper investigation and prosecution.

He also called on parents and guardians to remain vigilant and pay close attention to the safety and well-being of their children and wards.

The command urged residents to promptly report suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station or via its emergency lines: 08028940883 and 08032003913.