A disturbing incident occurred on Thursday, January 9, 2025, along the Enugu-Nsukka Road in Enugu State, where gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen abducted more than 35 people, including three Nigerian Army personnel. The kidnappers launched their attack on three commercial buses, initially taking four soldiers. However, one soldier, PTE Usendu Emediong (24NA/87/7560), managed to escape during the assault.
The three soldiers who were abducted with the other passengers include PTE Usoro Ezekiel Paul (24NA/87/6751), PTE Jeremiah Inimbom Thomas (24NA/87/7937), and PTE Victor Itiat Godwin (24NA/87/8348).
An eyewitness described the attack, which took place in Enugu-Ezike, Igbo Eze North local government area, as being carried out by 17 armed kidnappers. They forced all the passengers into the bush after an hour-long operation.
“One of the kidnapped soldiers was traveling from Akwa Ibom to Kaduna State when the incident occurred. He was fortunate to escape, and upon his return, he revealed that they were ambushed on a busy road that connects the eastern and northern parts of Nigeria,” the eyewitness recounted.
Local hunters, who were on their regular patrol, encountered the kidnappers in the bush but were forced to hide. They overheard one of the victims, exhausted and unable to continue walking, being shot dead by the kidnappers.
Hours later, military personnel and local hunters entered the area and discovered the body of the victim, which was later taken to the morgue.
A helicopter was spotted flying over the town on Sunday morning, causing some concern among villagers, though no substantial military action appeared to be taking place. It’s believed that the kidnappers and the victims were no longer in the area.
Military sources have confirmed the abduction of the soldiers. A signal from the Nigerian Army’s 87 Regular Recruits Intake (87RRI) confirmed the kidnapping, stating that the soldiers were taken while traveling in a commercial vehicle from Akwa Ibom to Kaduna State.
The signal read: “SPECIAL SITREP. NO0 AS AT 110900A JAN 25. KIDNAPPING AT ABOUT 101515A JAN 25 INFO RECEIVED FROM 24NA/87/7560 PTE USENDU EMEDIONG ETIM REVEALED THAT 3 X SLDRS OF 87RRI CMM 24NA/87/6751 PTE USORO EZEKIEL PAUL WITH PHONE NO 070* CMM 24NA/87/7937 PTE JEREMIAH INIMBOM THOMAS WITH PHONE NO 080* AND 24NA/87/8348 PTE ITIAT VICTOR GODWIN WITH PHONE NO 080* WHILE RTN FROM PASS WERE KIDNAPPED ALONG ENUGU – NSUKKA RD AT ABOUT 091740A JAN 25 IN A COMMERCIAL VEH FROM AKWA IBOM TO KADUNA STATE. REQ YOU FWD INFO TO ASA FOR NEC ACTION. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION IN PROGRESS. PSE ACK.”