No fewer than seven students of the Ebonyi State College of Health Science and Technology, Ngbo, in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state, sustained injuries after suspected armed robbers attacked a student hostel in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to sources, the assailants stormed the hostel at about 1 a.m., attacking occupants and carting away valuables during the operation.
The incident has raised concerns about security around the institution, with reports indicating that the hostel lacks perimeter fencing and security posts, making it vulnerable to criminal intrusion.
Confirming the development, the spokesperson of the Ebonyi State Police Command, SP Joshua Ukandu, said officers were immediately deployed to the area after the attack was reported.
He explained that although the suspects had fled into nearby bushes before security operatives arrived, efforts were ongoing to track down those responsible and recover the stolen property.
Ukandu further disclosed that the injured students were receiving treatment at a hospital, although the identity of the facility was not revealed.
As of the time of filing this report, the management of the institution had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
Meanwhile, the police command also announced a breakthrough in the investigation into the killing of the traditional ruler of Ishinkwo Community in Onicha Local Government Area, HRH Eze Josephat Ikegwu.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Ukandu said six suspects had been arrested in connection with the monarch’s murder following what he described as a sustained intelligence-led operation.
He added that an AK-47 rifle loaded with eight rounds of live ammunition was recovered during the operation, while the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Reacting to the arrests, the Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, CP Hope Okafor, reiterated the command’s commitment to combating crime and ensuring justice.
“No individual involved in criminality will be allowed to evade justice,” the police commissioner stated.