Gunmen abduct deputy vice-chancellor of Nigerian university

Gunmen have abducted the deputy vice-chancellor of a Nigerian university.

The victim, Godwin Emezue, of Abia State University, Uturu, was abducted from a petrol station at Umuekwule, Amachara, a community in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State, south-east Nigeria.

Mr Emelue, a professor, was said to have driven into the station alongside his wife to buy fuel for their vehicle on Friday night when the gunmen attacked them.

Sources told PREMIUM TIMES that the hoodlums, numbering about three, dragged the professor into their waiting Lexus SUV, collected his wife’s ATM card and zoomed off.

When contacted on Saturday morning, the spokesperson of the university, Chijioke Nwogu, told PREMIUM TIMES that the police in the state have confirmed that there was a kidnap attack in Umuahia on Friday, but that the university only heard of Mr Emezue’s kidnap through the social media.

“The news is everywhere. It has gone viral,” Mr Nwogu said of the kidnap.

However, a lecturer at the university, who asked not to be named, told this newspaper that the university management, on Saturday, announced on a WhatsApp platform that is restricted to the university staff members, the kidnap of the deputy vice-chancellor.

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He said Mr Emezue must have been kidnapped late Friday given that the professor had made a post on the WhatsApp platform earlier on Friday.

The police in Abia State later confirmed the incident.

In a statement, on Saturday, the police spokesperson in the state, Maureen Chinaka, said the incident happened at about 9:30 p.m. on Friday.

“The Abia State Police Command is deploying resources and assets including intelligence and technical aid towards unravelling the crime, safely rescuing the victim from his captors,” Ms Chinaka, an assistant superintendent of police, assured.

The police spokesperson asked residents of the state to remain calm, vigilant and security conscious while going about their legitimate activities.

She appealed to the residents to cooperate with the police by providing “useful information” that could help in tracking down the hoodlums as well as enhancing security in the state.

Abduction for ransom

Abduction for ransom has increased in Abia State in recent times.

Last year, a Chinese national was abducted in Lokpanta, a community in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.

The Chinese, Li Peiyin, a site manager, was rescued some days later.

Gunmen, in August 2022, abducted a Catholic priest and a seminarian along Okigwe-Umunneochi Road, a boundary between Imo and Abia States.

The victims were released two days later after reportedly paying a ransom to the kidnappers.

Barely 24 hours before the attack on the clerics, gunmen abducted a police officer at Mbala Divisional Police Headquarters in Isuochi Community, Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abi State.