Robbers kill two IMSU undergraduates

Two students of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Imo State University, have been confirmed dead while two others sustained injuries after they were attacked by robbers on the Kaduna-Jos Road.

The deceased were identified as Joy Ihezie (400 level) and Faith Okeke (200 level).

It was learnt that the victims and their colleagues were on Friday travelling to Jos, Plateau State, on a coastal bus to attend a national conference of the National Fellowship of Christian Medical Laboratory Science Students, when they were ambushed around Mararaba junction.

PUNCH Metro gathered that they were about three kilometres to their destination when the incident happened.

It was said that the gun-wielding robbers were operating on the highway when the bus conveying the students ran into them.

The gunmen reportedly opened fire on the students when their bus attempted to flee the scene.

An IMSU student, who announced the deaths on the social media, said the university community had been thrown into mourning.

He wrote, “The entire Faculty of Health Sciences of the Imo State University, Owerri, has been thrown into mourning following the death of two of its medical laboratory science students while on their way to a national conference in Jos. The students were travelling from Owerri (Imo State) to Jos to attend a national conference of the National Fellowship of Christian Medical Laboratory Science Students when they were attacked around the border between Kaduna and Jos.

“Two of the students were shot dead on the spot, while many were seriously injured.”

The spokesperson for IMSU, Mr. Ralph Njokuobi, confirmed the attack to our correspondent, adding that those injured were responding to treatment.

He said the corpses of the deceased students would arrive in Owerri on Sunday.

He said, “They left the school on Thursday in a costal bus. I learnt the incident happened in the wee hours of Friday when they were about three kilometres to Jos. We learnt from the driver of the bus that they ran into the robbers. Some people were already being robbed on the highway. We lost two of the students and two others – a male and a female – were injured; they are responding to treatment. They will be back in Owerri today (Sunday).”