Blood on the Express Road: Herdsmen Resume Kidnapping Spree on Owerri-Aba Road By Ella Michaels
A wave of terror has returned to the Owerri-Aba Express Road, specifically along the Umuechem and Umuhu axis in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State. On Tuesday, May 6th, at approximately 6:21 pm, suspected herdsmen, disguised in police uniforms, launched a deadly attack, killing a Hilux driver and kidnapping 21 people, including some female students of the University of Uyo.
The kidnappers, reportedly Fulani herdsmen, hijacked a "God is Good Motors" bus, dragged out the passengers, and took them away. Another bus belonging to Akwa Ibom Transport Company was also stopped, and the driver and passengers were kidnapped. Eyewitnesses described the scene as a "war zone" when the Trumpeta reporter arrived, with some escaped passengers foraging out of the bushes with various degrees of wounds.
Chief Charles Okata of Okata theatre, a renowned artist and sculptor, was among the lucky ones who escaped without bullet wounds. However, he witnessed the terrorists raining bullets indiscriminately. Some passengers who spoke to journalist at the scene identified the kidnappers as Fulanis, despite their attempt to disguise themselves in police uniforms. "They are Fulanis. I heard their language, and thank God I escaped. But I lost all my valuables, including my handset. And they took away some of my colleagues," a female student of the University of Uyo cried.
The villagers in Umuechem and Umuhu reported that this was the seventh time the kidnappers had operated with impunity at the same spot since March this year. They alleged that the kidnappers seem to work with insider information, striking whenever the security posts are dismantled between 6:00 and 6:30 pm. "They seem to work with information. Whenever the police leave, they strike, and within 30 minutes, they are done, taking their victims into the bush," an eyewitness said.
The Traditional Ruler of Umuhu Autonomous Community, HRH Eze Basil Anyanwu, has appealed for help, stating that they have done all they can, including setting up a local security outfit. However, the kidnappers carry sophisticated weapons, leaving the community helpless. "We don't know what else to do. May the government come to our aid and root out this evil in our land," he pleaded.
Kelechi Mejuobi, an editorial staff member of Trumpeta News Paper, narrowly escaped the kidnappers' ambush while driving from Aba to Owerri. He expressed deep concern over the insecurity on the road, attributing it to the lack of security operatives and the few available personnel's ineffectiveness. "There's a lack of security operatives on the road, and the few available, like the Army checkpoint at the Airport junction, only engage in extorting commercial vehicles," Mejuobi lamented. He urged the Imo State Police Command and other security agencies to not only increase their presence on the road but also to take concrete actions to identify and apprehend the kidnappers operating in the area.
The kidnapping activities along the Owerri-Aba Road have elicited widespread reactions, with many wondering why the menace has continued despite the presence of security operatives. Dr. Agaptus Onuegbu described it as an embarrassment and a failure on the part of the government and security personnel. "The road is important to Imo's economy. It not only leads to Aba, the commercial city, but to Imo Airport," he said.
The people of Imo State demand action from the government to address this security challenge and ensure the safe release of the kidnapped victims. The continued kidnapping and killing on the Owerri-Aba Road is a stain on the state's security and economy. It's time for the government to throw its security weight behind the citizens and flush out these terrorists.
