A shuttle bus has been attacked by suspected Fulani herdsmen along Uturu-Okigwe Road, close to the Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State.
A motorist was reportedly shot dead in the attack, which happened on Tuesday.
This is happening two days after seven students of the Abia State University were kidnapped along the same route.
According to a source, the latest kidnap happened around 5pm on Tuesday.
He explained that all the bus passengers were marched into the bush, while another private car owner was shot dead.
The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Eze Chikamnayo, in a statement on Wednesday, called for calm.
The statement said, “We have been informed of yet another incident of senseless kidnapping and the unfortunate death of an innocent citizen, especially students around the ABSU -Uturu-Okigwe axis and Umunneochi-Ihube area occasioned by the criminal activities of mindless terrorists.
We, as a government, are saddened by this ugly development around our boundaries with Imo State and are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that normalcy is quickly restored.”
A student, who was earlier kidnapped and escaped on May 5, said the road was becoming a hideout for hoodlums.
“They also kidnapped my brother, a final-year student of ABSU, on his way going back to school. This latest incident happened along Uturu-Okigwe Road,” he added while pleading not to be identified.
Another student, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “I was in my car with four other students coming behind an ABSU associate professor driving with four other students in his car.
“Before Ihube Junction, the professor slowed down because of the bad road.
“On trying to overtake him to lead, two herdsmen came out of the bush fully armed with cutlasses and guns.
“They started shooting and I managed to drive my car and escaped. Unfortunately, the professor tried to reverse and that was how they attacked them. While one person escaped, the associate professor and the three other students were kidnapped.”
When contacted, the Abia State Police Command referred our correspondent to the Imo State Police Command.
Efforts to reach the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Michael Abattam, proved abortive, as he did not take his calls or respond to a text message sent to him as of the time of filing in this report.
