Gunmen kill 2, kidnap several others in Enugu

Armed gunmen suspected to be kidnappers at the weekend killed a prominent leader of Neke Odenigbo-Nike community in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State, Chief Cyril Mbah and one other before abducting unascertained number of people.

The suspects were said to have laid siege on Ugwogo-Neke-Ikem road between Enugu East and Isi-Uzo local government areas of the state.

It was gathered that the abducted travellers were taken into the bush and whose whereabouts are yet unknown.

An eyewitness narrated that on Friday evening, between 7:30 and 8pm, the suspected kidnappers swooped on passengers in a bus plying on the road.

“The hoodlums shot sporadically at incoming vehicles and killed two persons in a vehicle before moving further to another vehicle where they commandeered the passengers into the bus and whisked them away into the bush.

“Chief Cyril Mbah from Neke Odenigbo-Nike was gunned down by the suspected kidnappers along Ugwogo/Isi-uzo road, near Neke Odenigbo junction.

“He was rushing home with his daughter in his car when he ran into a group of suspected kidnappers who suddenly opened fire on him. Unfortunately, he couldn’t survive the gunshots but nothing happened to his daughter.

“The kidnappers went further, fired and flattened the tires of another vehicle approaching the scene and successfully whisked away the driver and other people on board. Till now no one is certain where they are.”

Contacted, the police authority in Enugu confirmed the killing of Chief Mbah and one other person by armed gunmen along Ugwogo-Nike/Ikem Road on Friday.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Dan Ndukwe who confirmed the incident on Saturday evening, said, “Manhunt operation is underway to apprehend the armed assailants that shot and murdered one male victim and the driver of a Passat car, identified as Cyril Mbah, on 11/08/2023 at about 7.45pm, along Ugwogo-Nike/Ikem Road.”

“Meanwhile, the Command is not in receipt of any report of abduction or kidnapping of person(s) on the same road and time, as being reported by the media, please”, he added.

Recall that kidnapping along the road caused commotion in 2000 when a lawyer, a businessman, a Reverend Sister and others from Isi-Uzo Local Government Area were kidnapped after attending the burial of a former House of Assembly member, Late Hon. Chijioke Ugwueze who died during COVID-19 pandemic.

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