▪︎ Students pursue into bushes, run back on sighting guns
Another state of panic was triggered on Wednesday at the permanent site of the University of Abuja when a lecturer in the Department of Economics, one Dr. Okoroafor, was attacked by two unidentified individuals.
One of the Professors abducted on Tuesday, Joseph Sumaila Obansa, is of the Department of Economics.
“Okoroafor was hit on his head as a scuffle ensued, but students took on the two attackers who ran off on foot. The students pursued them into the bush. A short while later the students ran back because the two men allegedly pulled out guns.
“A bunch of keys, including a car key, fell off the assailants which the students picked. We are trying to trace the car, wondering whether it was packed elsewhere to effect an abduction of the lecturer. The assailants went away with his two phones,” a source told Everyday.ng.
Everyday.ng learnt later that the car was found on a bush path within the permanent site with no registration number affixed, though a number of plate numbers were found in the booth of the car. It was driven out of the bushes by security men of the university who joined in searching for the assailants.
School’s spokesman, Dr. Habib Yakoob, would not comment as he was elsewhere on official engagement. He promised to get back to Everyday.ng as soon as he arrived the campus, and was duly apprised of happenings.
Just on Tuesday, Professor Joseph Obansa (and son, John), and Prof. Bassey Ubom’s son and daughter, Malam Sambo Mohammed, and Dr. Tobit were abducted from the University Staff Quarters in Giri community. Giri is contiguous to the permanent site of the school. The school’s permanent site is located between Giri Town and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof Abdulrasheed Na’Allah, who has often complained about the presence of settlements on the school property, lamented Tuesday’s attack by the unknown gunmen at the staff quarters. The gunmen stormed the quarters about 2 a.m. and were said to have operated for over one hour.
Na’Allah said, “They brought their devastation to our Giri quarters and we are pursuing them with all it takes to recover our dearest ones they kidnapped. Our nation is definitely bleeding and this is too close home for us. Please pray hard for God’s intervention. One thing is certain, we shall continue to mobilise everything available to us to protect staff and students and ensure this never happens again.
“From now on, it is compulsory for staff and students to wear their official UniAbuja ID cards when entering any of our campuses including the Giri Quarters. The Safety Unit has my instruction to turn anyone back who cannot explain their mission on our campus, quarters or any UniAbuja branch even if they claim to be staff or students. Only University ID card worn on them is a guarantee for entry. We shall overcome.”
Obansa, is described as a “distinguished economist of repute.”
He is currently a sitting Professor of Economics at the university and a visiting Professor of Economics at Veritas University, also in Abuja.