Unidentified gunmen suspected to be cultists have kidnapped no fewer than five students of the Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwu, Port Harcourt, at their off-campus residence in Emuoha Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday.
DAILY POST recalls that students leaving outside the institution’s Emuoha satellite campus had last week protested the incessant attacks and harassment they face and called on the school management to relocate them to the main campus in Port Harcourt.
The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof Isaac Zeb-Obipi, at a pre-convocation press briefing on Monday, said the university would neither close down the Emuoha campus nor relocate the students because of pockets of criminal incidents there.
Prof Zeb-Obipi said appropriate measures are being taken, including a town hall meeting with the council authority and chiefs, other community stakeholders and security agencies, to ensure the safety of its students and staff residing in the area.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the kidnapping of the students, saying the assailants are cultists.
Iringe-Koko disclosed that the gun-wielding miscreants struck, shooting sporadically before whisking the students to an unknown destination, adding that tactical police personnel have been deployed to ensure the students are rescued and suspects apprehended.
“They were abducted by cultists. In the early hours of Tuesday, a group of cultists numbering five stormed an isolated area of Rumuchi/Rumuohia, shot and abducted five persons to an unknown destination.
“We (police) have put efforts in place for their safe rescue. As I speak, the Commissioner of Police has gone there with tactical teams to ensure they regain their freedom,” she said.