Gunmen suspected to be cultists have abducted about five students of Rivers State University (RSU), Nkpolu-Oroworukwu, Port Harcourt.
The victims were taken from their off-campus residence in Emuoha local government area of Rivers state.
Before the attack, students living around the university’s satellite campus had protested frequent assaults by hoodlums and asked the school management to move them back to the main campus.
Police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the abduction and described the attackers as cultists.
Iringe-Koko said the suspects fired multiple gunshots before whisking the students away, adding that tactical police teams had been deployed to rescue the victims and apprehend the gang.
Her words: “They were abducted by cultists. In the early hours of Tuesday, a group of cultists numbering five stormed an isolated area of Rumuchi/Rumuohia, shot and abducted five persons to an unknown destination.
“We have put efforts in place for their safe rescue. As I speak, the commissioner of police has gone there with tactical teams to ensure they regain their freedom.”
One student who escaped said the gunmen invaded their residence at about 2am and killed the security dog.
She said she immediately called her father, who reported the incident to the Emuoha police division, but no help came at the time.
Her words: “He was running after me and even shot at me. I couldn’t look back because I was focused on escaping. So the person stopped and went back to my compound, then someone else came from the bush and ran after me, and I had to run faster.”
She said several students, “about four or so”, were missing after the incident.
