Residents of communities surrounding the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), were thrown into panic on Wednesday evening following a violent attack by suspected armed herders who reportedly kidnapped several persons and injured many others.
The attack occurred along the Ihiagwa–Eziobodo axis serving the FUTO host communities of Ihiagwa, Eziobodo, and Okolochi in Imo State.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers, believed to be suspected Fulani bandits, ambushed commuters and pedestrians along the road, firing gunshots indiscriminately as they carried out the assault.
According to residents, the gunmen, said to be more than 30 in number, blocked parts of the road and abducted victims while causing panic among motorists and passersby.
Some survivors who sustained gunshot wounds were immediately rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, for treatment, while others were taken to nearby private hospitals.
Witnesses described the incident as terrifying, saying many people fled into nearby bushes and surrounding areas to escape the attackers.
The Imo State Police Command confirmed the attack and said security operatives had been deployed to the affected communities to restore calm and track down the perpetrators.
Police spokesperson, DSP Henry Okoye, said the Commissioner of Police, Audu Garba Bosso, had directed intensified operations in the area and ordered a manhunt for those behind the attack.
He assured residents that the command was taking necessary measures to strengthen security and ensure the arrest of the suspects.
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