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.
