BY INNOCENT OSAKWE
TWO youths have been shot dead by a gang of suspected kidnappers; just as two others were abducted by the same gang.
The incident was reported to have occurred somewhere around Edo-Otulu road axis by Nshiagu College junction in Ogwashi-Uku metropolis at about 10pm on the fateful day.
A reliable source disclosed to our correspondent that the youths, who were killed, had come out from their house to ascertain the reason for a gun shot.
According to the security source, members of the gang, who were armed to the teeth had succeeded in kidnapping two persons and were shooting sporadically into the air to scare residents of the area away.
The source maintained that the modus operandi of the hoodlums were indicative that the gang may be made up of trained security personnel, alongside some of Fulani herders.
“The first young man who was shot dead was armed with a machete, while his co-tenant was armed with a bamboo stick. They wanted to go and ascertain the cause of the sporadic shooting they heard along the Edo-Otulu road.
The youth, our correspondent learnt, armed with machete was using his android phone torchlight.
“One of the hoodlums, who suspected the two young men were coming to attack them shot at the android phone the victim was holding, shattering the phone. And as the victim turned to take to his heels, they shot him dead.
“The second victim, who was armed with bamboo managed to run into their residential compound, but the criminals chased him into the compound and shot him dead on the spot”, disclosed a local vigilante source.
The vigilante source maintained that only a trained marksman could have shot on target at that time of the night and succeeded.
He further disclosed that the method of the operation by the hoodlums also revealed that they might have an insider from the community who fed them with information about their targets and when to strike.
Lamenting their inability to apprehend the hoodlums, the security source said that they were determined to apprehend the kidnappers, adding that it is just a matter of time.
