Over 20 Lecturers Kidnapped from DELSU

In the last two
years, over 20
lecturers have
been abducted
from the Delta
State University,
DELSU , Abraka,
Delta State.
Dr. Emmanuel
Mordi, Chairman
of the Academic
Staff Union of
Universities, ASUU,
Delta State told
Vanguard that
lecturers were
particularly
disturbed, as
educators are not
millionaires, but
the gunmen keep
attacking them.
Foremost and
perhaps more
disturbing of the
kidnaping cases is
ias the kidnap of a
lecturer of
Department of
Science Education,
Dr. (Mrs.) Mercy
Mokobia, from her
nuptial home in
Obiaruku, since
April 9 without
trace by the
Police. The
demanded ransom
had been paid, yet
Dr. Makobia was
yet to be released.
The Vice-
chancellor,
Professor Eric
Arubayi, recently
told Commissioner
of Police in the
state, Mr.
Ikechukwu Aduba,
that the university
was under siege.
He said:
“Lecturers have
their hearts in
their mouths
because we do not
know who will be
kidnapped next
and nobody is
comfortable doing
his work here.
“As a matter of
fact, the academic
staff of DELSU are
demanding the
release of their
colleague; we are
going to embark
on a fresh strike
after the current
nationwide strike
action to protest
the failure of the
police to secure
her release”.
“We are not safe
here if some
gunmen can come
to the home of our
colleague and
kidnap her and for
almost five
months, the police
have no answer to
her whereabouts,
that is our plight,
we are lecturers,
we are not
politicians, our
duty is to teach
students and do
research, why are
kidnappers after
us”.
“Academics are
not money bags
but law abiding,
knowledgeable
citizens who
sacrifice day and
night, all their
comfort to impact
knowledge and
skills to Nigerian
youths so as to
equip them to
become useful
members of the
society who can
perpetuate human
civilization”.
Delta State
Commissioner of
Police, Mr.
Ikechukwu Aduba,
told Vanguard
that he
understands the
plight of the
lecturers and like
any other kidnap
case; the police
were not sleeping
on the matter.
ASUU chairman,
Dr. Mordi, who
urged the
gangsters to
release the woman
and for the
Obiaruku
community to take
more than a
passing interest in
the matter since
Mokobia was
living in the
community prior
to her kidnap,
insisted the Police
should produce
the lecturer, dead
or alive.
“Each time we ask
the Commissioner
of Police about our
colleague, he tells
us he is not a
magician. The
Commissioner
came to visit ASUU
when we were
about to embark
on strike some
time ago, they
made some arrest
quite all right, but
we still do not
know where our
member is, for
about five months
now. His best is
not enough”, Dr.
Mordi added.