UTURU, ABIA — The Uturu-Okigwe road has once again become a scene of state-sponsored terror following a horrific assault on Abia State University (ABSU) students by officers of the Nigerian Police.
The victim, a student identified as Buddy Jnr, recounted a traumatizing ordeal that took place on Saturday afternoon, exposing the lawlessness of officers operating without name tags who now treat students as primary targets for extortion and violence.
Dragged into the Bush
The nightmare began around 2:31 p.m. when a mini-bus carrying students was intercepted at a checkpoint. According to the victim, the officers focused their aggression on him after discovering he had three mobile phones. Despite explaining he was a student, he and his brother were reportedly dragged into a nearby bush—a move increasingly used by rogue officers to carry out abuses away from public view.
“They began beating us mercilessly like criminals, even though we were just students who came to ABSU to study,” the victim cried out. He described a scene of total brutality where more officers joined in the assault, using their weapons and boots to inflict pain.
Bleeding and Death Threats
The physical toll of the encounter is severe. The student revealed that his ear is currently bleeding and his hearing has been impaired due to the intensity of the beating. His phone, the very object used as an excuse for the assault, was also smashed during the scuffle.
Even more chilling were the verbal threats issued by the men in uniform. The student alleged that the officers openly boasted of their impunity, telling him, “We could shoot you and nothing would happen.” They further threatened to use their influence to ensure the victims never graduate from the university.
Uturu: A No-Go Area for Students?
This latest incident has ignited a firestorm of rage within the ABSU student body. For months, students have complained that the Uturu axis has become a “toll gate” of harassment, where owning a smartphone or a laptop is treated as a criminal offense.
“Police harassment, intimidation, and extortion around Uturu are becoming unbearable,” the victim stated. “We came here for education, not to be brutalized and treated like criminals for no reason.”
As of Sunday morning, the Abia State Police Command has not issued a formal statement, though the victim has tagged several high-ranking officials and human rights activists in his plea for justice. The incident serves as a grim reminder that despite past promises of reform, the Nigerian Police in Abia continue to operate with a “scorched-earth” mentality toward the youth.
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