The Enugu State Police Command says it has rescued several women that were abducted by “hoodlums” along the Agbani Ugbawka road in Nkanu East Local Government Area of the state.
The hoodlums were said to have attacked a commercial bus, dispossessed passengers of their possessions, abducted three women and ran into the bush.
The victims, were mainly women, were said to be returning from the market on Friday, June 14 when the incident occurred.
However, the assailants abandoned their victims and took to their heels after operatives of Operation Puff Adder engaged in aggressive combing of the bush.
Reports says that the “hoodlums” were Fulani herdsmen numbering over 20, and the incident threw the communities along the road connecting Enugu to Ebonyi State into confusion.
There were fears of another herdsmen attack on Enugu following a 2016 incident that took the nation by storm.
Recall that armed Fulani herdsmen attacked Ukpabi-Nimbo Community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State in 2016, killing dozens of people.
A statement by the state police spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu, read, “The Enugu State command of the Nigeria police have commenced a full scale investigation into the incident of an attack on a commercial bus and abduction of some victims by hoodlums along Agbani Ugbawka road in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.
“It was, however, gathered that the yet-to-be-identified hoodlums had on 14/6/19 along Agbani-Ugvawka road allegedly attacked a commercial bus and abducted three female persons after allegedly robbing the said bus and ran into the bush.
“It was further gathered that the operatives of the Operation Puff Adder, acting on the directives of the Commissioner of Police, Sulaiman Balarabe promptly raced to the scene and embarked on aggressive combing of the bush which forced the hoodlums to abandon their victims without payment of any money just as no ransom was demanded.
“However, no injury was sustained by victims who already have re-united with their various families.”