Gunmen on Wednesday attacked the National Youth Service Scheme Corpers’ (NYSC) lodge in Akwa Ibom state. The lodge is located at Udo Ekong Ekwere street, off Information Drive in the Uyo Local Government Area of the state. It was reported that the gunmen stole valuable items and raped the female occupants. It was gathered that the gunmen who stormed the area by 1 am came with tricycles (Keke) they carted away valuables such as laptops, cell phones and cash.
Some of the corps members who spoke with newsmen said there was no help anywhere during the attack even though they were crying for help in their voice. One of the corp members who identified himself as Emeka Emmanuel said, “They arrived on a tricycle, popularly called Keke and immediately started operation. They beamed high-intensity torchlight everywhere and pounced on every door with heavy iron and threatened to shoot us if we fail to cooperate”.
A female corps member, who pleaded to be anonymous said her phones, laptop, and cash were forcefully taken away from her after the hoodlums gained entrance into her room from the back door. She said: “You know at that period of the night, most of us females, we used to sleep naked and the suddenness of the attack caught us unprepared. They beamed the torch through the window and threatened to shoot if the door is not quickly opened.”
Another female corp member said: “I have never heard of this anywhere in Nigeria, even in the North, where insecurity is at its peak, that corners could be deliberately targetted, harassed, 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?” A night guard in camp one said: “I raised alarm by hitting the supporting pillars holding the reconstructed NUJ auditorium.” He also said: “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, said: “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.”
He also said: “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.” “I have told them that once it’s midnight, they should put off their generators so we can hear what’s happening in the neighbourhoods,” he stressed.
This evil act happened the same day a of the despatch convoys of the president and also attacked on the Kuje correctional facility that led to the jailbreak.