THERE has been palpable tension in Delta State University, DELSU,
Abraka, Delta State in the past few months over the wave of abduction of
lecturers by suspected kidnappers.
Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Delta State,
Dr. Emmanuel Mordi told Vanguard 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, told Vanguard
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.
The police chief said his comment that police were not magicians, which
was misinterpreted by some persons, was borne out of the fact that the
police have done a lot in the matter and was investigating the incident,
up till date, yet some persons are accusing security agents of
non-performance.
"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."
Not satisfied
ASUU chairman, Dr. Mordi, who urged the gangsters to release the woman
and for the Obiaruku community to take more than a passing interest in
the matter since Mokobia was living in the community prior to her
kidnap, insisted the Police should produce the lecturer, dead or alive.
He said it was not the duty of the union or the family of the victim to
tell the police the whereabout of Dr. Mokobia and was, therefore,
surprised the Police were saying the lecturers and family were not
giving them adequate information.
His words: "We do not know where her abductors took her to, we are
citizens and the police are supposed to protect us, how do they expect
us to know where the kidnappers took her to, if we know, we would have
done everything no matter the cost to bring her out.
"Each time we ask the Commissioner of Police about our colleague, he
tells us he is not a magician. The Commissioner came to visit ASUU when
we were about to embark on strike some time ago, they made some arrest
quite all right, but we still do not know where our member is, for about
five months now. His best is not enough.
"He must tell us clearly and unambiguously what has happened to Dr.
Mercy Mokobia and where she is. If she is dead, we want to know and her
remains must be found, if she had been sold into slavery and taken to
another country, we want to know also."
Dr. Mordi said he had the privilege of meeting a top government official
in the office of the National Security Adviser, Abuja, and was not
impressed with what government was doing to stem kidnapping, saying,
"All they are concerned about is Boko Haram."
He accused the police of compromise in the several cases of kidnapping
involving lecturers in Abraka, saying, "We even now see ourselves as
endangered species, as kidnappers target lecturers, who are
non-indigenes of the area.
"Lecturers do not have money, we impact researched knowledge to develop
students, kidnappers should leave us alone, police and other security
agencies should do their job well by providing security."
He alleged that in the case of Abraka, security agents and vigilance
groups were colluding with kidnappers and appealed to government to
equip police to fight criminals.
"The other day I went to the office of the Commissioner of Police in the
state, I find out that even the Close Circuit Television in his office
is not working, I found out that the funding for the police is about
N3,000 per police station in the country, this is disturbing.
"Besides, Mrs. Mokobia and several other cases, Dr. Ugochukwu Uzuegbe
was also kidnapped in Edo State in May 9, this year, and only regained
his freedom after paying ransom," he added.
We need information - Police
Commissioner Aduba said he did not want the kidnap of Dr. Mokobia to
turn into a war of words between him and ASUU, Abraka, saying the
reality was that the Police were not getting helpful information
source:
campus-gist
Lack of sleep, allergies, and basic genetics can leave you with dark
circles under your eyes, use her makeup tips and learn how to hide the
drama.
When we have been burned in a relationship, we go into new
relationships a little more wary. That’s a two-edged sword. While being
street-smart can help you avoid making the same mistake the next time,
It can also keep you so hyper alert to possible problems that you don’t
give yourself to a relationship. Here are some tips to help you when
you’re ready to try again.
