A stray bullet fired by unidentified individuals, suspected to be cultists, claimed the life of a 100-level female student at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State.
The unfortunate incident occurred late Thursday evening at the popular Miracle Junction in Ifite Awka.
According to witnesses in the area, the hoodlums were pursuing an unidentified tricycle operator, presumably with the intent to harm, but missed their target, and one of the bullets struck the female student, who happened to be walking along the roadside.
The victim, identified simply as Uche, was a student in the Medical Lab Department at the university and was en route to the market when the stray bullet tragically ended her life.
Stray bullet fired by suspected cultists
A witness shared, “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 deceased’s body was reportedly taken to the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital in Amaku Awka.
Anambra State Police Command’s spokesperson, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident and stated that preliminary information suggested the incident was cult-related.
He added that the police were collaborating with eyewitnesses to identify and potentially apprehend the culprits.
Patrols and surveillance in the area have been heightened, and Ikenga urged residents to provide any relevant information to assist in the investigation.
He emphasized the police’s commitment to combating cultism and other forms of crime in the state, citing recent actions against suspects involved in cult-related incidents and encouraging residents to report incidents to the police.
Ikenga concluded, “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 (through the Command’s control room number: 07039194332).”
