Three students of the Enugu State University of Science and
Technology (ESUT), Agbani, are battling for their lives at the
University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH).
TheNation reports that the victims were badly injured in shooting on
Friday night, September 26, when unknown bandits invaded their hostel.
It was suspected that the gunmen could be members of a secret cult.
It has been learnt that the students were rushed to UNTH in the early
hours of Saturday. Intensive surgery at the hospital continues to save
their lives.
One of the victims was wounded in the stomach. The damage is believed
to be really severe. The doctors are reportedly battling to remove some
pellets of the bullet, which makes the operation even more difficult.
The two other students are being treated in the same hospital. Their
condition still remains unclear, while efforts are being made to contact
their parents.
The area of the tragedy, the Unique Hostel, and other neighbouring
hostels within the Agbani Permanent site of the ESUT, have been placed
under security watch.
One of ESUT campuses. Photo: @joshuaadetayo1
The move to beef up security may also be explained by management’s
attempt to forestall a possible reprisal attack. Plain-clothe policemen
deployed to strategic locations in and around the hostels.
The attack has been confirmed by police spokesperson, Mr Ebere
Amaraizu. According to him, the preliminary investigations showed that
the gunmen could be “student robbers”. The spokesperson has reassured
that the police would take the proper steps for detailed investigation
of this matter.
Amaraizu did not give much information on the arrests being made,
adding that the command would provide further details about the ongoing
investigations as they come.
“From what we gathered when the gunmen attacked some students at
the ESUT Unique Lodge, which is mainly Boys Hostel, there was a stiff
resistance by the students who succeeded in arresting one of the gunmen.
The arrested gunman alerted his armed colleagues who returned to the
hostel and began shooting indiscriminately during which three of the
students were shot and wounded,” the spokesperson said.
It is not the first time this year trouble happens with ESUT
students. On July 24, 2014, a bus belonging to Enugu State Ministry of
Transport was destroyed by fire. About
60 ESUT students have miraculously escaped death.