DELSU, Abraka, Delta State
in the past few months as been experiencing a shocking wave of abduction of lecturers by
suspected kidnappers.
Chairman of the Academic Staff
Union of Universities, ASUU, Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Mordi said that
lecturers were particularly disturbed, as educators are not
millionaires, but the gunmen keep attacking them.
In the last two
years, he said over 20 members had been abducted, but what has troubled
the academic community more in recent times, was the kidnap of a
lecturer of Department of Science Education, Dr. (Mrs.) Mercy Mokobia,
from her nuptial home in Obiaruku, since April 9 without trace by the
Police.
Indeed, during his visit to the university, some months
ago, the vice-chancellor, Professor Eric Arubayi, told Commissioner of
Police in the state, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, that the university was under
siege.
Mordi said in most of the previous kidnap cases, it was
demand for ransom by abductors, after which the
victims regained
freedom.
However, in Dr. Mokobia’s case, they demanded, it was paid, yet, she was not released.
He
said: “Lecturers have their hearts in their mouths because we do not
know who will be kidnapped next and nobody is comfortable doing his work
here.
“As a matter of fact, the academic staff of DELSU are
demanding the release of their colleague; we are going to embark on a
fresh strike after the current nationwide strike action to protest the
failure of the police to secure her release.
“We are not safe here
if some gunmen can come to the home of our colleague and kidnap her and
for almost five months, the police have no answer to her whereabouts,
that is our plight, we are lecturers, we are not politicians, our duty
is to teach students and do research, why are kidnappers after us.
“Academics
are not money bags but law abiding, knowledgeable citizens who
sacrifice day and night, all their comfort to impact knowledge and
skills to Nigerian youths so as to equip them to become useful members
of the society who can perpetuate human civilization.”
How gunmen abducted Mokobia
Gunmen kidnapped Dr. (Mrs.) Mokobia, whose husband, Prof. Mokobia, is
also a staff of the university, between 12.00 am and 1.00 am, Tuesday,
April 9, in Obiaruku. They broke into their residential apartment.
The
couple was reportedly sleeping when the hoodlums struck in a commando
style and took away the female lecturer. They contacted the family two
days after the incident through a close associate demanding N20 million
ransom for her release.
According to Dr. Mordi, “They robbed the
family after which they took her along on foot to an unknown
destination. Her whereabouts has since remained unknown
“Until her
kidnap, there was a lull in the kidnapping of our members and their
spouses, which gave lecturers at DELSU a false sense of security.”
Suspicion
A security source said: “It is either an insider or somebody that knows
the family was involved in the kidnap because they robbed the family
and still abducted her.”
The source stated: “In fact, an artisan who has worked for the family before is believed to be working with the kidnappers.”
“Some
12 hours before the incident, some motor cycle, popularly known as
Okada riders were seen near the vicinity of the Mokobias discharging
some unidentified passengers,” our source added.
Following
security report on the activities of kidnappers in the area, who found
it easy operating with motorcycles, the state government, after the
incident, banned the use of Okada for commercial transportation in
Abraka, Kokori and other parts of Ethiope East Local Government.
Police not sleeping on the matter
Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, said
that he understands the plight of the lecturers and like any other
kidnap case; the police were not sleeping on the matter.
He said
the police spread their dragnet but the kidnappers initially went
underground and the police did not get useful information.
It was
gathered that when police got information that the kidnappers had told
the husband of the victim to pay ransom, they marked the money and urged
him to play along.
His words: “The Special Anti-Kidnapping Unit
and tracking team tracked the gang to a house at Uremu Road, Ozoro. The
suspected kidnappers upon sighting the squad, opened fire and in the hot
exchange of gunfire that ensued, one of the suspects later identified
as Vote Michael suffered fatal gunshots, while three female suspects
were arrested.”
Two persons, including the kingpin of the gang
escaped on that day, while police recovered the N1.2 million ransom, a
locally made pistol and 50 rounds of cartridges.
Police trailed
and arrested the fleeing leader of the gang in Kogi State, as well as a
pastor, but none could tell her whereabouts.
At a stage, about 11
persons, including a pastor, were seized in connection with Mokobia’s
abduction. Nevertheless, nobody would say where she was or what happened
to her.
In keeping with the anti-kidnapping law of the state
government, the building in which the gang was believed to have detained
Dr. Mokobia before she was moved to an unknown location was demolished.
Aduba
told Vanguard that the husband of the kidnapped lecturer was around
when the police was asking one of the suspects, a pastor, the whereabout
of his wife, but he said nothing.
“Yes, we
are still investigating the matter; we cannot sweep it under the carpet.
Sometime ago, I heard that ASUU people in Abraka were saying something
about not understanding our role. I visited the university and took time
to explain to them what we have done, including how we traced the
ransom to a suspected kidnappers den in Ozoro and arrested some
persons.”
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