Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
Condemnations have trailed the abduction of a student of the Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU) and other passengers with prominent Abians calling for quick, effective rescue efforts to ensure their immediate release.
In his reaction renowned economist and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Alex Otti, expressed shock and disbelief over the incident, saying that there was no justifiable reason for the hoodlums to attack innocent members of the society.
Otti, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma, described “such act of violence against the students as wicked, barbaric and reprehensible.”
He called on all relevant authorities and security agencies “to swiftly swing into action and ensure timely rescue of the students without harm” and promised to offer the necessary support and assistance that could hasten the release of the students.
The APC chieftain further called on governments at all levels to treat the present security challenges bedeviling the country as a pressing emergency and consider coming up with far reaching measures and strategies aimed at finding a permanent solution to the present challenges.
Former chairman of the Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Emma Nwaka also expressed dismay and anguish over the abduction of the student and other passengers.
He commended the collaborative efforts of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and his colleagues in the neighbouring states “to track down these purveyors of extreme wickedness in order to rescue their hapless victims.”
Senator Nwaka called on security agencies to deploy aerial facilities as a matter of utmost urgency to augment the ground rescue efforts just as they did in Orlu, Imo State in search of members of the Eastern Security Network ( ESN).
He said that the call on the security agencies was against the backdrop of the information making the rounds that these bandits use walkie talkies nowadays as opposed to mobile phones, thereby rendering ineffectual the existing tracking devices.
Nwaka further urged the Federal Government to empower the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy to upgrade the country’s tracking ability in order “to put the nation ahead of the evil devices of these enemies of progress”.
Meanwhile the Vice-chancellor of the Abia State University Uturu(ABSU), Professor Onyemachi Ogbulu has said that hoodlums that attacked students and passengers in a commercial bus had made contacts with parents of the victim in their custody.
He made this known yesterday at a news conference in Umuahia, adding that only a student was still remaining in the hands of the abductors at yet to be identified location.
“We can safely say for now it is only one student that is involved. The other two were able to escape,” he said, adding that everything possible was being done to free the victim from the abductors.
The VC declined “for security reasons” to disclose what the abductors had demanded when they contacted the parents of their victim.
He also stated that the real identities of the hoodlums involved in the abduction was yet to be established, assuring that security agencies were operating “in top gear” to rescue the abductee.
“Management of the University through our security outfit is working assiduously in assisting both the Imo and Abia State governments and law enforcement agencies to rescue the victim,” he said.
It was gathered that the student still in captivity is a 400 level student of political science, who was travelling with two other students as well as other passengers when the hoodlums attacked them.
The VC advised parents and guardians to remain calm as the management had placed high premium on the lives of ABSU students, assuring that security has been beefed up at the institution and all its environs.
However he harped on the need for students to reduce their exposure outside the campus in order to minimise the chances of falling into the hands of hoodlums.
Prof Ogbulu explained that the restriction on lecture hours to run between 9.00am and 4.00pm, was part of measures taken by the university management to protect students, insisting that the directive would be enforced to the letter.
