By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
No fewer than 8 passengers escaped with bullet wounds as suspected militants of the Iceland cult group attacked a commercial bus, killing the driver instantly.
The incident, New Nigerian gathered occurred at Edem Akai portion of the Iwukem-Etim Ekpo-Abak highway on Wefnesday.
It was learnt the passenger bus belonging to the Akwa Ibom Transport Company (AKTC) ran into a hail of bullets fired by the militants, who blocked the major road.
“They blocked the road and started robbing every vehicle. The AKTC bus ran into them, but was trying to escape when the militants numbering about six, started firing at close range.
“One woman and three other passengers were caught with bullets. The intensity of the pump-action riffle, AK-47 and other weapons sparked fire and engulfed the bus with the driver”, a bystander, Udosen Philips, told New Nigerian.
“When I heard the gunshot, I escaped into the Edem Akai primary school with my motorcycle and watched the drama from there. After robbing the passengers, they stopped an oncoming Toyota Camry car and seized it from the owner and escaped with it.
“They took the untarred road through Udianga Enem into their base in Okoyo village, while others followed the stolen car with the motorcycles that they came with”, he explained.
Nearby shops including one owned by one Udoma Ekah, it was gathered, were robbed of cash and other belongings as the owners fled.
Policemen, who usually blocked the Ikot Nya section of the highway, were said to have jumped into their van and escaped.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Odiko Macdon Ogbeche, confirmed the incident, but said he was yet to be fully briefed by the Area Commander and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in-charge of Etim Ekpo.
