Gunmen Abduct 11 Students, Passengers In Enugu

By Cosmas Chukwu

Gunmen have abducted 11 passengers at the Amechi-Idodo axis of the Enugu-Abakaliki federal highway, an area increasingly notorious for such incidents.

Among the victims are students from tertiary institutions in Ebonyi State, who were traveling in a commercial bus from Awka, Anambra State to Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.

The abduction occurred on Tuesday when the assailants intercepted the bus at the Amechi-Idodo area in Nkanu East Local Government Area. This location has recently become a hotspot for kidnappings.

As of now, it is unclear whether the Enugu State Police Command is aware of the incident. However, a relative of one of the victims revealed that the kidnappers have contacted the family, demanding a ransom of N30 million.

Joshua Ukandu, the Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, stated that the Enugu State Police Command is actively working to address the situation.

He added that the Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, Augustina Ogbodo, is collaborating with her Enugu counterpart, Kanayo Uzuegbu, to combat the surge in kidnappings along this stretch of the highway.

In response to the growing insecurity, Enugu Governor Peter Mbah recently directed security agencies to intensify efforts to eradicate the criminal activities plaguing the region.