By Fresh Facts Reporter
The Federal Polytechnic Oko in Anambra State was thrown into chaos late Thursday night following a violent attack by yet-to-be-identified gunmen, leaving at least two persons dead and several others injured.
Eyewitnesses told Fresh Facts Magazine that the assailants struck around 8:40 pm, targeting multiple locations near the polytechnic. While initial reports suggested that up to four students may have lost their lives, the Anambra State Police Command later confirmed two fatalities, describing the incident as cult-related.
The attackers, said to be operating in a black Lexus 350 SUV without number plates and a motorcycle, first opened fire at a popular hangout around the Total Filling Station Junction. They later moved on to a drinking joint along Tipper Road and some off-campus hostels, firing indiscriminately and causing widespread panic among students and residents.
“We were at Victoria Point [a local bar] when we suddenly heard gunshots. People started running in different directions. I saw someone fall beside me,” said an eyewitness who asked not to be named for security reasons.
Another source reported that the gunmen appeared to be in two groups — one operating in vehicles and the other on motorcycles — suggesting a coordinated attack. There were also claims that two lecturers from the Polytechnic may have been abducted during the incident, though school authorities could not immediately confirm their identities.
“The whole thing was shocking. No one knew what was going on. The gunmen just moved from one area to another,” said a staff member of the institution.
Reacting to the incident, the Anambra State Police Command said that a joint security team — comprising the Police, Nigerian Army, Navy, Civil Defence, and local vigilante groups — had taken control of the affected areas and launched an intensive manhunt for the attackers.
According to a statement issued early Friday by the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, two victims were confirmed dead, while a female victim was hospitalized with gunshot wounds. He added that two other individuals were allegedly abducted during the attack at Tipper Junction.
“Police operatives, led by the Area Commander Aguata and supported by the Joint Security Task Force, have taken over the scene. We are acting on credible clues and eyewitness accounts to track down the hoodlums. Calm has been restored in the area,” the statement read.
Thursday’s violence marks a disturbing escalation of insecurity in the Oko community. It comes barely two weeks after the killing of a local beer parlour operator under similar circumstances, raising fears of a growing wave of cult-related violence and criminality around the polytechnic campus.
Security patrols have since been intensified in and around the institution, while students and staff have been advised to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities.
