Lecturers and staffers of the Edo State owned university, the
Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma are now working and living in fear of
being kidnapped. They go to work looking behind their backs not knowing
whether kidnappers are lurking around. One lecturer said they are now
‘ATM cards’ for kidnappers.
Hardly a month passes without a lecturer not being kidnapped. Not
spared are their spouses who are also easy target for kidnappers. The
victims are usually snatched while returning from work or church between
the hours of 6 and 7pm.
Victims of kidnapping within the university community are
increasing by the day.
They include Prof. O.P.G. Nmorsi of the
Department of Zoology, Prof. (Mrs) C.O. Isiramen of the Department of
Religious and Cultural Management, Esohe Enoma. Those whose wives have
been kidnapped a former vice chancellor of the school,Prof. J E A
Osemekhian, Dr. Ken Imarenezor of the Department of Physics and
Microbiology and Prof. Raymond Aluede, Dean of Faculty of Education.
The victims it was gathered are kept in an open forest until
ransoms are paid and the perpetrators are yet to be arrested. Several
unions within the university are spoiling for a showdown if nothing was
done to protect them their spouses.
Apparently tired of being in the apron of kidnappers, Academic
Staff of Union of Universities (ASUU), AAU-Ekpoma chapter raised an
alarm that they were disturbed over the incessant kidnapping of its
members.
In a statement jointly signed by its chairman, Prof. F. I. Esumeh
and secretary, Dr. S. O. Omoikhoje, AAU-ASUU said they are living in
perpetual fear as the situation was already affecting academic in the
institution.
According to the statement, “Academic work cannot effectively take
place in an environment where fear reigns supreme. The nefarious
activities has assumed alarming proportion, since little or nothing has
been done to apprehend the hoodlums.
“We believe that the ugly trend has become a pattern and pervasive
because little or nothing has been done to apprehend the hoodlums as
they seem to be having a free day in their nefarious business”.
Chairman of Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities
(SSANU), Comrade Dako Etafia, said they have resolved to stage a
continuous peaceful protest but that they are careful for hoodlums not
to hijack the protest.
He said, “It is worrisome which all concern members supposed to
think of how to get out of it. The kidnapping is targeted at staff of
the university. Nigerians should join us to think of a way out. Those
involved are not unemployed youth.
We don’t know who they are but they
are in this community. The list of victims is long. Security should not
be finding solutions to an incident that has already occurred. The
security agents are not proactive enough. I see the management
handicapped in curbing the menace. A married woman is tied in the open
air in the forest. Their husbands would become emotionally unstable.”
Chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Comrade Isirame
Macauley condemned the kidnapping and said they have concluded plans to
protest and go on rampage over the state of insecurity.
“The way the hoodlums are attacking and kidnapping our staff and
their wives is not good. Security and awareness should be beefed up.”
Prof. Esumeh in an interview attributed the kidnappings to an
operation of a cartel because of the pattern and timing of kidnappers.
“If something is happening on a monthly basis, it is something we
have to take seriously. We are not safe. I don’t see the kind of money
we earned at the university that warrant the kidnapping of our members
and their wives.
“The sad thing is that you have to part with something before they
are released. Our worry is that if this thing is occurring on a monthly
basis, there must be some kind of cell or informant operating within
Ekpoma and the security agencies have not been able to curtail or arrest
anyone. We need more from the security agencies.”
The ASUU chairman said they would be forced to stop working if the spate of insecurity continues.
“We are hoping the trend does not continue. We could discuss this
thing at the national level and if our members are not safe, they
shouldn’t be working. The NBA boycotted the court. I don’t know why
lecturers are now targeted. Most of them have said they were kept in the
bush. You can imagine somebody kept in the forest.”
Public Relations Officer of the institution, Chris Adamaigbo said
the management could only guaranteed maximum security within the campus
and not outside.
“We are praying that God intervene. We are working with security
agencies to curb it in the bud. We are praying that God intervenes. By
the time something is becoming incessant, we pray that it did not get to
the level of lecturers fearing to come to classes. We are not aware if
ransom is being paid. I am not aware of any arrest made so far.” He
said.
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