Passengers Abducted and Some Shot by Gunmen at Ezinnachi/Okigwe on Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway
On the morning of Wednesday, July 9, a group of passengers traveling along the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway fell victim to an attack by armed criminals near the Ezinnachi/Okigwe stretch. Reports indicate that an unknown number of travelers were kidnapped, with some also sustaining gunshot wounds.
According to eyewitness accounts shared with Vanguard, the assailants blocked the highway between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m., carrying out the operation without resistance. Several passengers who escaped the ordeal described a harrowing close call where their vehicle nearly collided with the gunmen before the driver made a swift U-turn to evade danger.
“We were fortunate to escape. The attackers positioned themselves close to a hospital under construction between Ezinnachi and Okigwe. They opened fire on some victims and parked several vehicles along the road. The exact number of those harmed is unclear. Vehicles were turning around and heading back towards Okigwe or Umuahia to avoid the area,” one survivor recounted.
At the time of this report, it remained uncertain whether Imo State security forces had arrived at the scene.
The Ezinnachi-Okigwe corridor has recently become notorious for such violent incidents. Observers have noted that two security checkpoints previously located between Ezinnachi and Okigwe have been removed. While a new checkpoint has been established just past the Okigwe Roundabout in a densely trafficked area, a large stretch of the highway remains unsecured, leaving travelers vulnerable.
