Imo don regains freedom after ransom payment
Professor Sunday Elom has emerged the first indigenous Vice Chancellor of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State. In a statement signed by the Registrar/Secretary of Council, Mrs. Odisa Oleke, yesterday, the professor of Medical Biochemistry beat other interested candidates to land the job.
The Guardian gathered that the new VC, who was born on November 5, 1961, at Ekwashi, Ngbo in Ohaukwu Council of Ebonyi State, until his appointment, was the immediate past Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, of the institution.
The new VC has over 14 years of post-professorial and uninterrupted academic and administrative experience in the university system, having bagged his Ph.D in Medical Biochemistry from the Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, in 2006.
He has a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in Molecular Biology from the Vrue University, Brussels, Belgium, in 1992, and a First Class (honours) degree in Biochemistry from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
MEANWHILE, a lecturer at the Imo State University (IMSU), Owerri, Emma Ogueri, who was kidnapped by gunmen in police uniform on Friday night, has regained freedom.
Ogueri, a lecturer at the faculty of Social Sciences, was kidnapped at a pharmacy opposite All Seasons Hotel, new Owerri, where he had gone to pick some drugs, after he had finished drinking with friends at a nearby pub.
The Guardian gathered that the academic, who hails from the Isiala Mbano Council of the state, was released on Monday. Police spokesperson in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, confirmed the release of the lecturer.
The victim was reportedly released after his family and friends paid an undisclosed sum as ransom, a source told The Guardian. Also, the police were said to have trailed the kidnappers to the Awara-Omoku forest, following intelligence, the same hideout the auxiliary bishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, Moses Chikwe, was taken to when he was kidnapped in December.
“The abductors were demanding N3 million ransom, but the presence of policemen forced the kidnappers to relocate with the lecturer to another hideout and made them to quickly round off the negotiation,” the source added.
