Gunmen have abducted an unspecified number of students of the Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU).
John Kalu, the Abia commissioner for information, confirmed the abduction on Thursday.
He said the students, who were in a commercial bus, were ambushed and abducted along Okigwe-Uturu road around 8 pm on Wednesday.
In a statement on Thursday, Kalu said the bus ran into the gunmen while they were operating on the road and that two of the students escaped from their clutches.
He added that the state government is monitoring the incident and working with security agencies to ensure the safe rescue of the victims.
“Preliminary information available to us indicates that the students were moving in a minivan from Okigwe to Uturu between 7 pm – 8 pm when they ran into the armed gang who marched them into the nearby forest along with other yet-to-be-identified travelers,” the statement read.
“Two of the students managed to escape from the hoodlums while others are still being held at a yet-to-be-identified location.
“We are working with the government of Imo State and relevant security agencies in both states to ensure the rescue of the abducted students and others.
“Members of the public and ABSU community are advised to remain calm as we will spare no resource in ensuring the safety of the victims.
“No criminal operating within our environment will be allowed to escape justice as we take the job of protecting lives and property of Abians and visitors to the State very seriously.”
