Gunmen have attacked a National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) Corpers’ lodge located on Udo Ekong Ekwere Street, off Information Drive in the Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on Wednesday
The gunmen who invaded the neighborhood around 1 a.m. reportedly stole items such as laptops, cell phones, and cash.
Some corps members who spoke with reporters the following morning bemoaned the lack of assistance despite the cries for aid during the attack.
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One of the corp members identified as Emeka Emmanuel stated,
“They arrived on a tricycle commonly known as a Keke and began operations immediately.”They shone intense torchlight everywhere, jumped on every door with heavy iron, and threatened to sh0ot us if we did not comply.
A female Corps member, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity while fighting back tears, stated that her phones, laptop, and cash were taken from her after the thieves entered her room through the rear door.
“You know at that period of the night, most of us females, we used to sleep N#ked and the suddenness of the attack caught us unprepared. They beamed the torch through the window and threatened to sh0ot if the door is not quickly opened,” she explained.
“I have never heard of this anywhere in Nigeria, even in the North, where insecurity is at the highest peak, that Corpers could be deliberately targetted, r*ped, and robbed by criminals at gunpoint. Is it because we are not from Akwa Ibom that no one could hear our shouts and come to save us?”, another female colleague, lamented.
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Mr. Nsikak Ibanga, a night guard at the State Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists which is located opposite the corpers lodge said,
“I raised alarm by hitting the supporting pillars holding the reconstructed NUJ auditorium,” adding that “the sound reverberated across the whole area but no response”.
Another neighbour, Bassey Offiong, said,
“When I heard the attack and the outcry of the Corpers, I quickly reached out to the Police at Ikot Akpanabia Command, which is very close here, but they arrived a little late after the criminals had finished and left with their tricycle”.
Also, the Youth Leader of the area, Comrade Godwin Okpo, blamed incessant criminal activities around communities on the collapse of internal security organized by the local residents.
“I used to go round from house to house to collect monetary contributions for the vigilante group to secure the area at night, but suddenly they started accusing me of embezzling their money, so there was nothing I could do again.
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He added,
“When I heard the incident late in the night around 1:00 am this morning, I moved to the place but since I was alone, there was nothing I could do”, he said.
He blamed the inability of the youth to come out on noise of generators running into late night in most homes.
“I have told them that once it’s midnight, they should put off their generators so we can hear what’s happening in the neighborhoods,” he stressed.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Odiko Macdon, said he was yet to be fully briefed on the incident, adding that he would investigate and get back to our correspondent
He said,
“I don’t have any information about the incident but I will find out and get across to you”.
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