Gunmen rob, rape NYSC corps members inside Uyo lodge

Gunmen have attacked Corpers’ Lodge at Udo Ekong Ekwere street, off Information Drive, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital and robbed the occupants even after raping the female ones.

The incident it was gathered occurred at about 1:00 am Wednesday.

The hoodlums stormed the lodge in their tricycles, shot in the air and carted away valuables including laptops, cell phones and cash.

When some journalists visited the area, the corps members lamented that despite their cry for help during the incident, no one came through for them.

According to one of them who identified himself as Emeka Emmanuel, “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, who wished to speak on condition of anonymity, said her phones, laptop, and cash were forcefully taken away from her after the hoodlums gained entrance into 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.”

Another colleague interjected, “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, a night guard at the State Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists which is located opposite the Corpers 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 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, Godwin Okpo, blamed incessant criminal activities around communities on the collapse of internal security organized 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.”

He also blamed the inability of the youths to come out because of the noise of generators running into late nights in most homes.

“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.

When contacted the Police Public Relations Officer Odiko Macdon said he was yet to be fully briefed on the incident, adding that he would investigate and get back to journalists.