By Ken Afor
Grief flooded the air, Thursday night, in St Paul’s College, Eke in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State after news of the lethal attack of a female student by kidnappers suspected to be of Fulani herdsmen.
The attack confirmed by a resident in the community said other students who were shot by the bandits are now fighting for their lives in an undisclosed hospital.
A video displaying the corpse of the casualty and some of those who managed to escape the attack narrated that the students were heading home in their bus after school when they were attacked.
A voice in the video said, “Fulani herdsmen attacked our students, they were going home after school; one of them was shot dead; four students were shot, one died instantly; they have done enough.
“See the corpse of the little student they have murdered; this one is unconscious, (pointing at another victim) we are praying that God will sustain her; she sustained four bullet wounds.
“This was done by the Fulanis operating at Eke-Egede Road; these are the ones that survived; the government should come to our rescue. Our place is now a death zone.”
The Principal of the Catholic Church-owned school, Rev. Fr. Frank who confirmed the attack said the incident happened between 4:30 pm and 5:00 pm.
“It is true; we closed from school by 3:30 pm yesterday. As the students were going home, the bus they were in was attacked by gunmen; some of them received bullet wounds, of which one later died in the hospital,” as quoted by News Express.
“That was between 4:30-5 pm; the gunmen just opened fire on them.”
“We feel so saddened to lose such a promising young girl in this circumstance.”
In the meantime, other local sources reported that the area had been an arena of abductors for a protracted period with security outfits not able to halt the actions of destructive cattle herders.
A community leader revealed that many kidnap victims in Udi and Ezeagu areas were confined to the same location until the ransom was paid. He added that if the ransom was not paid, the victims would be killed after a few days.
The forest named ‘Ofia-akwu’, covering an area of around 15 kilometres, had been reported to be full of danger with multiple lives lost due to the kidnappings caused by the Fulani herdsmen, according to the leader.
“The security agencies know that they have been occupying that location for several years now, committing all manner of crimes.
“We don’t know why it is difficult to flush them out from that location.
“Many lives have been lost to their murderous activities on that Eke-Egede Road,” he lamented.
Additionally, it was said that the same gang perpetrated an abduction of a renowned traditional leader after their raid on a school bus.
“He was kidnapped along Eke-Egede-Affa Road after a security meeting with the chairman of Udi Local Government and men of our high profile neighbourhood watch.”
“We pray for his safe rescue and return in Jesus name. Oh! God, our efforts shall not be in vain,” said Offorkansi Hyginus, PRO, Affa security committee.
There was no word from the Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe yet.
