Anxiety in Enugu as gunmen hijack bus, kidnap final year student

An atmosphere of fear now pervades Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu state as gunmen again struck the town less than three days after abducting a famous baker, Chief Vincent Okonkwo, and a lawyer, Mr. Josephat Nzewi, to kidnap one Miss Ugo Roland a final year student of University of Port-Harcourt (UNIPORT).

Investigation reviewed that Ms Roland, a native of Abiriba in Abia state, is a final year student of the department of History and International Relations at UNIPORT was on Tuesday heading to University of Nigeria Nsukka to source for materials for her final year project when the hoodlums attacked Peace Mass Transit (PMT) bus she was traveling in around 6.30pm at Ede-Oballa which is about three kilometers to Nsukka town.

Daily Times in an interview with a passenger of the bus who pleaded anonymity said as soon as the bus they were traveling in stopped for one of the passengers at Ede-Oballa to come down, “boys numbering about five emerged from nowhere and hijacked the steering of the bus.

“The unknown gunmen directed the driver at gunpoint to an unknown destination where they robbed us, collecting money, phones and other valuables and abducted one passenger and zoomed off.

“I am yet to recovery from the shock of what happened on that fateful day because I have not experienced such a thing in my life since I was born

“I heard they are demanding N10m ransom as a condition to free the girl “he said.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Peace Mass Transit (PMT), Dr.  Sam Onyishi, who spoke to our reporter on phone, described the incident as frightening and unfortunate.

Onyishi noted that the issue of passengers been robbed by armed robbers is nothing new to transport companies but expressed concern and shock on the aspect of kidnapping passengers.

“The issue of armed robbers robbing passengers is nothing new especially to transport companies in the country but my concern is this new trend of crime “kidnapping of passenger in a bus”, he stressed.

Onyishi also mentioned that he may be forced to adopt a stringent measure of preventing his buses from dropping passengers at Ede-Oballa once it is 6pm, adding that all passengers from the area would have to get to Nsukka and find their way to their various destinations.

“This stringent measure is meant to avoid reoccurrence of the Tuesday ugly incident, “he said.

Onyishi appealed for the quick release of the student.

When our reporter went round the University town of Nsukka, to feel the pulse of resident about the incessant abduction in the area, the residents described the abduction trend as frightening while appealing to security agencies to help safe guard their lives and properties.

One of the residents of the area Chukwudi Nnanna, a businessman told our reporter that there are growing signs that the once peaceful town may have suddenly become a safe haven to hoodlums to carry out their heinous acts.

“This new wave of crime is a sign that Christmas season will be marred by insecurity in Nsukka and its environs, we urge those in authority to help us and stem kidnapping in Nsukka”, he said.

The Nsukka Police Area commander, Mr. Monday Kuryas confirmed the incident saying the police was on top of the situation to track down criminals who abducted PMT passenger at Ede-Oballa in Nsukka on Tuesday.

“Police is working seriously to rescue the adopted passenger unhurt as well as track down those behind the abduction”, he said.