A female student at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State (Unizik) who was enrolled in 100-level courses, has been declared deceased after being struck by a stray bullet.
Read also: Khaid pays tribute to Late Mohbad via new song
The victim, known only as Uche, is said to have been killed when some yet-to-be-identified hoodlums who were allegedly cultists missed their objective.
Eyewitnesses claimed that the hoodlums were chasing a yet-to-be-identified tricycle operator when the event occurred along the well-known Miracle Junction in Ifite Awka, in the Anambra State.
According to a source who spoke to newsmen, the thugs were chasing the tricycle driver when they shot at the student who was crossing the street instead of their intended target.
The victim, identified as Uche, was reportedly in the hospital’s medical laboratory department when the bullet struck her while she was walking to the market.
Update: Click HERE to join our WhatsApp group and get news and entertainment notifications directly on your WhatsApp!
The source said, “This deceased was a 100-level student of the Faculty of Health Science, she was killed on Thursday evening by a stray bullet shot by suspected cultists who were chasing a tricycle operator at the popular Miracle Junction.”
“The tricycle driver was shot too, and he pretended to be dead, but surprisingly, he stood up after a while and escaped when his attackers had left thinking he was dead.”
The source further stated that the deceased’s body was thereafter taken to the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital in Amaku Awka.
Tochukwu Ikenga, the Anambra State Police Command’s spokesperson, verified the event in a statement.
According to him, police patrol and surveillance have increased in the area, and he appealed to anyone who may have been an eyewitness to the occurrence to come forward and provide additional pertinent information to the police so they may continue their investigation.
Ikenga noted that early investigations had shown that the incident was cult-related and that the police were dedicated to bringing the offenders to justice.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating cults and vowed that the police would not give up on its crusade.
He said, “it is very unfortunate, preliminary information revealed that the incident is cult-related and we are already working with eyewitnesses to identify the perpetrators and possibly arrest them.
“Meanwhile, police operational positioning has been improved within Awka and patrols intensified.
“The command would not relent in waging war against cultism and other forms of crimes in the state, recently we just remanded 33 suspects in a cult-related incident. We also urge the residents of the state to always alert the police”
