Hoodlums rob, rape corps members at their lodge in Uyo

Gunmen have launched attack on Corpers’ Lodge at Udo Ekong Ekwere street, off Information Drive, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The gunmen have robbed the occupants of the lodge even after raping the female ones.

The incident reportedly happened at about 1:00am on Wednesday.

The gunmen invaded the lodge in their tricycles, shot sporadically in the air and whisked away valuable items including laptops, cell phones and funds.

The corps members while speaking to newsmen lamented that they struggled to cry for help during the incident, no one came to their aids.

One of them who identified himself as Emeka Emmanuel said, “They arrived on 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”.

Another female Corps member anonymously said her phones, laptop, and money were stolen from her after the the gunmen were able to enter her room from the back door.

“You know at that period of the night, most of us females, do 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.”

One other said, “I have never heard of this anywhere in Nigeria, even in the North, where insecurity is at the highest peak, that Corpers could be deliberately targeted, raped 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?”

Mr. Nsikak Ibanga, who secures every night, the State Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, located opposite the lodge said, ” I raised alarm by hitting the supporting pillars holding the reconstructed NUJ auditorium, the sound reverberated across the whole area but no response”.

Another neighbor in the area, 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”.

The Youth Leader of the affected area, Godwin Okpo, condemned the ceaseless criminal activities around communities, and blame them on the collapse of security made provision for by the local residents.

“I used to go round from house to house to collect monetary contributions for the night 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 added, “When I heard the incident late in the night around I:00am, 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 off their generators so we can hear what’s happening in the neighbourhoods”, he stressed.

The spokesperson of the police in the state, Odiko Macdon said he has not got the news of the incident as at press time, but promised to revert as soon as proper investigations have been done.