Gunmen kidnap Nigerian professor

A university lecturer in Nigeria, Olayinka Adegbehingbe, has been kidnapped.

Mr Adegbehingbe is a professor at the College of Health Sciences, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife.

Our correspondent gathered that he was abducted during a robbery attack that occurred along Ife/Ibadan expressway around 9:15 p.m. on Sunday while he was travelling from Ibadan to Ife.

Of all the vehicles attacked, Mr Adegbehingbe, who was in his vehicle, was singled out and abducted.

The Chief Security Officer (CSO) of OAU, Babatunde Oyatokun, told CAMPUS REPORTER that efforts are being made to rescue the victim.

“Yes, I’m presently at Apomu. I have not been in Ife since yesterday. They were coming from Ibadan but (were) attacked in between Asejire and Apomu by armed robbers. While they attacked all the vehicles on the road at that time, he was singled out. They picked him and took him away.

“His wife is also here with us and we’ve been able to report the case and the police are on top of the situation. So, I’m here in Apomu to take the madam (the wife of the kidnapped lecturer) to Ife because she was also there during the attack,” he told CAMPUS REPORTER.

Also, the Police Area Commander in Ile-Ife, Folorunsho Adegboye, confirmed the incident to CAMPUS REPORTER. He, however, said he could not speak officially on the matter because he is on leave.

Trend

Kidnapping for ransom has become rampant in many parts of Nigeria.

Last Tuesday, gunmen kidnapped the Deputy Registrar, Administration, of the Taraba State University, Sanusi Sa’ad.

He was kidnapped from his residence at the university staff quarters around 1 a.m.

Three months earlier, two Bowen University staff in Osun State, were abducted at Ile-Ogbo junction, along Iwo-Osogbo road.

In September 2018, three academic staff of Shehu Idris College of Health, Makarfi, Kaduna State were kidnapped while travelling to Makarfi from Zaria in Kaduna.

Kidnappings for ransom have become rampant in many parts of Nigeria.