‘Over 20 lecturers, relations kidnapped in Delta varsity’

Chairman, Academic Staff Union of
Universities, ASUU, Delta State University,
DELSU, Abraka branch, Dr. Emmanuel Mordi, at
the weekend, said at least 20 lecturers, their
spouses and relations, had been kidnapped in the
last two years by gunmen.
He stated this in Abraka while briefing the
Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr.
Ikechukwu Aduba, who visited the university,
just as the Vice Chancellor, Prof Eric Arubayi,
confirmed that the university and Abraka
community were under siege.
Aduba, however, explained the role police were
playing to stem crime in the state, especially in
the university community, and pleaded for
support in passing useful information to the
police.
Mordi, worried by the manner kidnappers had
zeroed-in on lecturers, feared they might destroy
the academic environment.
He made particular reference to a lecturers in
science education, Dr. (Mrs) Mercy Mokobia,
kidnapped, on April 9, at about 1.00a.m. in her
bedroom and has not been found till date, as well
as Dr. Ugochukwu Uzuegbe, abducted, on May 9,
in Edo State, but regained freedom after payment
of ransom.
His words, "It is unfortunate and very
frightening that it has become our lot in recent
years to be saddled with the burden of combating
kidnapping and related nefarious acts which
have posed danger to the security of lives and
property of our members".
He regretted that since 2011, ASUU members
had been in constant danger of losing their lives
to kidnappers and armed bandits.
Aduba took time to explain the measures police
had taken to secure the academic community
and how it traced the kidnappers of Mokobia to
Ozoro, where one of the suspected kidnappers
was shot dead and three of the female members
arrested with part of the ransom collected by the
gang.
He said the police were doing everything to
locate the lecturer while detectives were trailing
the two fleeing suspects.
The police boss, however, vowed to crush
kidnappers and warmed that any building owned
by kidnappers or used to hold victims hostage
would be demolished.