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From Solomon Ayado, Lafia
Gunmen suspected to be hired abductors have kidnapped a former commissioner for higher education in Nasarawa state, Chief Clement Uhembe.
Uhembe is currently a senior lecturer in the department of political science at the Federal University, Lafia (FULafia). He was commissioner during administration of former Governor, Tanko Al-makura.
His abduction is coming barely three days after a senior non-academic staff of the university, a women leader of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), FULafia Chapter, Mrs. Angelina Tyem, was reportedly stabbed to death. Her decomposed body was later found, last Sunday, in her private apartment in Sabon Pegi area of Lafia town.
The kidnappers are demanding N30 million ransom to be paid before the kidnapped lecturer would be released, the wife of the victim has said.
The former appointee was abducted at his residence in Lafia, situated along Lafia-Makurdi road, at about between 9 and 10.pm on Tuesday.
It was further gathered that the assailants who were armed with dangerous weapons scaled the fence and broke into the house.
Mrs. Amarya Uhembe, wife of the kidnapped victim, narrated the incident to newsmen in Lafia on Wednesday. She said the kidnappers were numbered about ten.
According to her, her husband had just returned from work and was observing siesta before the kidnappers invaded and moved him away.
“They (gunmen) came at about 8:30pm and started knocking forcefully at the door while my husband was in the inner room. I moved close to the door to see who was knocking only to discover that they were heavily armed men”
“When I noticed they were armed men, I quickly tried to close the door, shouting for help before my husband came to join me in the struggle to close the door, even as they were dragging to force themselves into the parlour”
“My husband rushed to the door and we succeeded in closing the it but the gunmen kept pushing until they succeeded in using some objects in breaking the doors and wall to gain entrance”
“The gunmen later allowed my husband access to his mobile phone to communicate with the family about their demand for the sum of N30million ransom,” Mrs. Uhembe said.
The police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Ramhan Nansel confirmed the kidnap to Daily Sun on Wednesday.
Nansel said, “we are aware of the kidnap and we have drafted our men in search of the kidnappers. No arrest has been made so far, and on the issue that the kidnappers are demanding ransome, we are not aware of that yet.”
