Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen have abducted a yet-to-be-ascertained number of students from the College of Health Technology, Oji, in Oji-River Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The incident, which happened on Friday, also saw the gunmen abducting a popular prophetess in a separate incident within the town.
It was learnt that the assailants first traced the woman to her residence but did not meet her; then they proceeded to her church where she was found and abducted her.
A community leader who did not want his name in print confirmed the incident, adding that no one knew the reason for the attack. He, however, doubted if the attack was carried out by herdsmen.
The situation had caused gloom and uncertainty among students of the school and the entire Oji community as no one has been able to establish contact with the abductors neither have they made any demand for ransom about the time this report was filed.
In a viral video, a nursing mother was seen in a neigbourhood panting and hugely frightened after she was let go by the abductors, who she said took some students away with them.
She said they were speaking Hausa.
In yet another video, a young man, who was seen wearing blood-stained clothes, was heard narrating how the incident happened, adding that he was lucky to escape alive.
“I am the only person who managed to escape. They have abducted everyone.
It happened at the School of Health. I have reported at the police station,” he said, while some persons were heard urging him to rush to the nearby hospital for treatment.
Confirming the incident late Saturday night, the Police Public Relations Officer in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, said that only five students were abducted, but two were promptly rescued
He described the viral video as misleading, adding that efforts were under way to rescue the remaining victims and apprehend the culprits.
“The Enugu State Police Command wishes to inform the public that the viral video alleging that a countless number of students were kidnapped at the Enugu State College of Health Technology Oji-River is false and an act of mischief and misinformation aimed at misleading and creating panic among unsuspecting citizens.
“Contrary to the spurious narrative in the viral video, in the evening hours of August 15, 2024, police operatives at the Oji-River Division of the Command received information alleging an act of abduction around the said college.
“They immediately hastened to the scene, rescuing two of the victims allegedly abducted, while three others are yet-to-be found. However, vigorous operations are ongoing to locate and rescue them, as well as apprehend the abductors.
“Preliminary investigation proved that the victims were driving out of the college, when the seemingly targeted incident occurred.”
In another development, a commercial sienna vehicle returning from the Northern part of the country, was on Thursday night diverted by hoodlums operating in army uniform.
The incident, which happened on the Ninth Mile-Makurdi Expressway at Inyi community, in Udenu local government area of Enugu State, saw the hoodlums robbing all seven passengers of the vehicle and the driver of all their belongings, including food.
One of the victims told our correspondent: “We entered into Enugu State some minutes before 9pm. Due to the fact that the road was a little busy, our driver decided to continue moving. After we passed Obollo Afor, we entered Inyi community and were stopped by people flashing torchlights.
“They were wearing military camouflage. Our driver came down to give them money to let us pass. One of them seized him. They surrounded our vehicle and one of them drove us deep into the community with their vehicle trailing behind.
“Inside the forest, they offloaded all the food items we were returning with, and searched everyone to collect all our money, phones and every valuable.
“My own problem is that they injured me with heavy beating when they got only N100,000 from me”.
