Gunmen Kill Man, Abduct Wife, Son in Enugu Despite Military Checkpoints and Army Operation Udoka

In a harrowing incident along the notorious Afa/Egede Road in Enugu State, gunmen suspected to be herdsmen killed a man and abducted his wife and son on Saturday afternoon. The incident unfolded despite the presence of military checkpoints and the ongoing Operation Udoka conducted by the Nigerian Army in the Southeast region.

Afa/Egede Road, situated in the Udi local government area, has gained notoriety as a dangerous area for motorists and commuters due to the alarming frequency of kidnappings. This recent tragedy follows a previous report in February, where kidnappers targeted a family transporting the remains of their late brother from Lagos to Nsukka.

A video that has gone viral online captures a chilling scene – a middle-aged man, seemingly shot and killed, lies in front of a bullet-riddled Toyota Corolla with Lagos registration number LSD 593 JH. A voice in the video highlights the dire situation, calling for government intervention and expressing frustration with the focus on hunting Eastern Security Network (ESN) members rather than protecting Enugu’s residents.

Mrs. Chinyere, a resident of Egede, confirmed the incident, revealing that the kidnappers took the man’s wife and son into the bush. Despite prompt deployment of neighborhood vigilantes, the police and soldiers, when contacted, allegedly cited a lack of funds for fuel as a hindrance to their rescue efforts.

The Enugu State Police Command, through its spokesperson DSP Daniel Ndukwe, has confirmed the incident. A manhunt is underway to apprehend the assailants and rescue the abducted victims, as the community anxiously awaits further developments.