Nineteen persons, including five students of River State University were kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Rivers and Imo states respectively.
This is coming as the Defence Minister, Abubakar Badaru resigned from his position on health grounds.
Following his resignation, President Bola Tinubu, yesterday nominated immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Christopher Musa, as his replacement, even as he met with security chiefs over the security situation in the country.
In the Rivers attack, gunmen, suspected to be members of a cult group, in early hours of yesterday, abducted at least five students of the Rivers State University, RSU, Emohua Satellite Campus.
The victims were reportedly taken at gunpoint from their off-campus residence in Emuoha in Emohua Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that students living outside the campus had last week, protested persistent attacks and harassment by cultists and appealed to the RSU management to relocate them to the main campus in Port Harcourt for safety.
A student, who narrowly escaped the abduction but pleaded anonymity, said the gunmen invaded their residence around 2am and shot dead the security dog before proceeding to seize the victims.
“He was running after me and even shot at me, I don’t know how many times. I couldn’t look back because I was focused on escaping.
“Someone from the bush then ran after me. I had to run faster to the gate. Some of our students, about four or so, are missing now,’’ the student said.
Spokesperson of the Rivers State police command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the abduction, describing the perpetrators as cultists.
“They were abducted by cultists. In the early hours of Tuesday (yesterday), a group of cultists numbering five stormed an isolated area of Rumuchi/Rumuohia, shot sporadically and abducted five persons to an unknown destination,” she said.
While disclosing that the police had launched a manhunt for the abductors, the police scribe said: “We have put efforts in place for their safe rescue. As I speak, the commissioner of police has gone there with tactical teams to ensure they regain their freedom.”
Efforts to get the reaction of officials of the state government at press time yesterday, proved abortive.
Similarly, gunmen suspected to be herdsmen, on reportedly hijacked an Aba-bound bus with 14 passengers at the Ngor Okpala area of Imo State.
Eyewitness accounts said the gunmen emerged from the bush, shot sporadically and took control of the bus which had left Owerri for Aba, Abia State.
The situation, according to the witnesses, led to pandemonium, as other vehicles either reversed abruptly or screeched to a halt, while passengers scampered for safety.
“They came out of the bush and started shooting; and then kidnapped passengers in a fully loaded bus. Many passengers ran out of their vehicles, some ran into the bush, others ran back; the situation was terrifying,” a source said.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Henry Okoye, said the incident was yet to be reported to the command.
“The incident has not been reported to the Police. Nevertheless, the commissioner of police has deployed tactical units to embark on robust fact-finding patrols along the Owerri–Aba Express Road. Further details will be communicated in due course,” Okoye said.
About the Author
