Three Soldiers Abducted by Suspected Herdsmen In Enugu

Suspected herdsmen abducted three soldiers, 35 passengers in Enugu.
One soldier escaped, revealing details of the abduction.
Local hunters found a victim killed in the bush.

Three soldiers were reportedly abducted by suspected herdsmen during an attack on three commercial buses in Enugu-Ezike, Igbo Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Reports obtained on Sunday indicate that the incident, which occurred on January 9, 2025, along the Enugu-Nsukka Road, involved the abduction of over 35 passengers.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that according to sources, four soldiers from the Nigerian Army were initially kidnapped, but one, identified as PTE Usendu Emediong (24NA/87/7560), managed to escape. The abducted soldiers include PTE Usoro Ezekiel Paul (24NA/87/6751), PTE Jeremiah Inimbom Thomas (24NA/87/7937), and PTE Victor Itiat Godwin (24NA/87/8348).

An eyewitness reported, “Not far from where I’m lodging in my hometown in Enugu-Ezike, a 17-member ragtag Fulani herdsmen kidnapping gang operated for about 60 minutes on a busy road that links the eastern part to the northern part of the country. The road is bad.”

The attackers reportedly stopped the vehicles, forced passengers into the bush, and held them captive. One soldier who escaped narrated how the abduction unfolded, revealing that they were traveling from Akwa Ibom to Kaduna State in one of the buses.

Local hunters later encountered the kidnappers in the bush and overheard one of the victims, unable to continue walking, being shot dead. The hunters, in collaboration with military operatives, later recovered the victim’s body and transported it to the morgue.

A military signal confirmed the incident, with Major AE Edet noting, “Preliminary investigation in progress. PSE ACK.” Helicopters were seen hovering over the area on Sunday morning, causing apprehension among locals, though no significant rescue efforts have been reported yet.