Kidnapped Nigerian professor escapes from captivity

A lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in Enugu State, Oguejiofor Ujam, who was recently kidnapped, has escaped from captivity.

The police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Ujam, a professor, was kidnapped on Sunday evening along Opi-Nsukka- Ugwogo-Nike Road in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of the state.

The professor is the dean of the School of General Studies of the university.

How he escaped from captivity

When contacted earlier on Tuesday, Mr Ndukwe, a deputy superintendent of police, told PREMIUM TIMES to wait for police response, adding that “there is something good” about the incident.

In the statement later on Tuesday night, the spokesperson announced that the lecturer had escaped from the kidnappers’ den.

Giving details on the lecturer’s escape, Mr Ndukwe said police operatives foiled a separate kidnap attack at about 7:10 p.m. on Monday at Neke-Uno Axis of the Opi-Nsukka- Ugwogo-Nike Road.

“The suspects, after an intense gun duel, fled with gunshot wounds, abandoning one AK-47 rifle, two magazines containing a total of 22 rounds, and a chain of 39 live ammunition,” he said.

“Further operations to hunt down the fleeing suspects the same night led to a lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, reportedly kidnapped on October 27, 2024, escaping from his abductors’ custody,” the spokesperson said, apparently referring to Mr Ujam.

Kidnap of FRSC official

Aside from the professor, PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that gunmen, on Saturday, kidnapped an official of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) along the same road near the Maduka University in Ekwegbe in the council area.

Despite confirmations by multiple sources, including the Sector Commander of the FRSC in Enugu State, Frank Agbakoba, Mr Ndukwe claimed the “no such incident has been recorded anywhere” in Enugu State.

Deployment of security personnel

Mr Ndukwe announced that the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Kanayo Uzuegbu, has ordered the deployment of “additional police personnel and resources” along the Opi-Nsukka- Ugwogo-Nike Road.

The spokesperson explained that the deployment was intended to “bolster both overt and covert police operations” along the road.

Increased kidnap attacks

Like other parts of Enugu, cases of kidnap-for-ransom along the Opi-Nsukka- Ugwogo-Nike Road have increased in recent times.

Civil servants, business owners, politicians and even students have become targets of such attacks in the area lately.

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The kidnap of the university professor occurred hours after gunmen kidnapped the FRSC official along the same road.

The victim, Emeason Chima, was whisked away by the attackers on Saturday.

He was yet to be freed as of the time of this report.