Whereabouts Of Kidnapped Commissioner Unknown

About 48 hours after Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Professor Hope Eghagha was abducted by unidentified gunmen, his whereabouts remain unknown even as police and other security agents have mounted a manhunt for his abductors who are yet to make any contact with his family or government.

Speaking with P.M.NEWS on phone this morning, a younger brother to Prof. Eghagha (names withheld) said security agents are making efforts to rescue the kidnapped commissioner.

He said, “we have not heard from them (the kidnappers), we are really amazed.  Since Sunday, the family, police, government have swung into action. He stood for the masses, we pray we can unravel the mystery sorrounding his kidnap.

“Government is actively involved, the police, Army and other security agents are doing their best. Government has sent message to the family. But so far, there is no link with the abductors. All his phones were left in his car; they did not take any of his phones away.”

The Commissioner’s younger brother said his Toyota Prado SUV, was still at the police station while his driver who was badly injured during the encounter with the abductors was still receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

Eghagha was seized by unidentified gunmen on Sunday morning near the state capital, Asaba, southsouth Nigeria.

Reports said one of his body guards was killed during the incident, though Eghagha was abducted unharmed.

He was reportedly kidnapped along Abraka/Agbor Road on his way to Asaba from his village, Ughile when his abductors allegedly intercepted the vehicle in which he was traveling at Owa-Ekei highway junction, in Ika North-East local government area.

His police orderly was killed in the process, while his driver sustained bullet wounds.

Investigations revealed that the gunmen apparently trailed the Commissioner from Warri to his village, Ughile, where they patiently waited for him to attend to his people.

It was learnt that the gunmen fired several shots into his car, one of which killed his police orderly on the spot.  The abductors later took Eghagha to an unknown destination.

Eghagha was a lecturer at the University of Lagos, southwest Nigeria, before he was appointed commissioner by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta state.

Meanwhile, reactions have continued to trail the abduction of Eghagha on Facebook.

Uzor Maxim Uzoatu said he could not sleep since he learnt of the news through the internet adding, “how can I sleep when the amicable Hope who ‘pokes’ me almost every minute on Facebook is in dangerous captivity?”

In his reaction, Ogie Eboigbe regretted that the Inspector-General of Police set up a task force on kidnapping in Delta state only for him to discover that the kingpin of the kidnappers was a police chief in the area.

He said he suspected that the kidnap of Egbagba might be an insider’s arrangement.

While Ademile Adesuyi Ojeikere expressed shock at the incident, Dorothy Mkparu said she was sad because it means people are no longer safe in the country.

“Professor Eghagha does not deserve this,” she said.

Praying that he will be released safely, Christopher Mlalazi said twice he had met Eghagha, in Kenya and Ghana at Pan African Literary Forum.

Reacting, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim said he was deeply distressed with the news of Eghagha’s kidnap, describing him as a nice man. He prayed that it will not end in a tragedy, stressing, “shame that this country insists on hurting some of it finest.”

—Moyo Fabiyi &    Jetro Ibileke/Asaba