Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Abia State University Abducted in Nighttime Attack

Gunmen have carried out a brazen abduction of the deputy vice-chancellor of Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria. The victim, identified as Professor Godwin Emezue, was taken from a petrol station in Umuekwule, Amachara, a community in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State on Friday night.

Professor Emezue and his wife were at the station to refuel their vehicle when three armed assailants attacked, forcibly taking the professor into their waiting Lexus SUV after collecting his wife’s ATM card. The incident occurred at around 9:30 p.m.

The university’s spokesperson, Chijioke Nwogu, confirmed the abduction, stating that the police in the state had verified the incident. Despite the confirmation, the university administration initially learned of the incident through social media.

A lecturer at the university, speaking anonymously, revealed that the university management officially announced the kidnapping on a restricted WhatsApp platform for staff members. The professor had posted on the platform earlier that day.

In response to the incident, the Abia State Police Command released a statement on Saturday, assuring the public that they are deploying resources, including intelligence and technical aid, to resolve the situation and safely rescue the victim.

Abia State has witnessed a surge in abduction-for-ransom cases, with a Chinese national abducted last year in Lokpanta and a Catholic priest and a seminarian abducted in August 2022.