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Abia State University Uturu ( ABSU) at the weekend confimed that some of it’s students were abducted last Thursday ( 3/4/22) between 7 and 8 pm along the Okigwe ( in Imo State ) and Uturu ( in Abia State) road.

It however did not disclose both the number of the students abducted and their names/identities.

An Online news medium had reported that “ two medical students of Abia State University, Uturu identified as Mejeh Emmanuel and Divine Nwachukwu have been kidnapped along Okigwe-Uturu road on Friday, 1st April 2022”.

The University Public Relations Officer Mr Chijioke Nwogu in a press release sent to The Guardian yesterday stated “ while this urgly and dastardly act by suspected gunmen is highly regrettable especially at this moment the university is trying to resume academic activities, the Vice Chancellor (VC ) professor Onyemachi Ogbulu assures parents/guardians of the abducted students that all the security apparatus within and outside Abia State through the intervention of the state governor Dr Okezie Ikpeazu is on course to ensure their quick release from their abductors”.

He also stated that the security of lives and property of both staff and students remains the top priority of the administration and that the VC has advised the students to avoid late and unnecessary movements/ travels by all means to put them out of harms-way.

It was gathered that as a result of the recurring abduction of persons including the university students along that road, parents are now reluctant to allow their wards to return the campus.

A parent who spoke to The Guardian off protecting his identity, wondered and lamented the incessant abductions on that same road on which there are multiple security check points manned by both Police and the military.

He asked “ which of the two Police Commands , Imo or Abia should be held responsible for the seeming security lapse along this Okigwe – Uturu road which is manned by the Imo and Abia States Police Commands.

A Staff of the University said that any time such incident happened, each of the two Police Commands claimed it happened at Okigwe in Imo state while the other claimed it happened at Uturu in Abia State.

In this latest one, it was alleged that it took place within the Imo State Police Command.

Telephone calls put across to the Abia State Police Command Spokesman DSP Geoffrey Ogbonna for clarification were not responded to before filing this report.