By Amos Aar
ARMED men suspected to be kidnappers have again abducted three lecturers of Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo.
A lecturer at the state polytechnic, who preferred anonymity for security reasons, told National Record on Friday evening named the abducted lecturers as Jones Ocheche, Gabriel Attah Ogenyi, both of the Printing Department, and Ambrose Abuh, a retired lecturer from the polytechnic but now on appointment as the Manager of the commercial arm of the institution, Benpocom Nigeria Limited.
The trio were abducted on Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at Anmoda Junction, a couple of kilometres from Mechanic Village, along the Otukpo-Enugu highway.
The kidnap of the trio came barely two weeks after suspected abductors killed a senior lecturer of the institution, Engr Oche Enenche, and abducted Benue State president of the All Nigerian Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Comrade John Patrick Abah, and many others.
Another source from the area who also pleaded anonymity said the hoodlums started their heinous operation as armed robbery before it culminated in abduction.
According to the source, members of the public are of the suspicion that the perpetrators work in cahoots with security personnel who have checkpoints along the route.
“These armed hoodlums or kidnapers usually operate anytime the police or army personnel who have checkpoints at various spots along the Otukpo-Enugu highway up to Otukpa in the afternoon when the security people go on break.
“The break usually last for about two to three hours without replacement. So, the suspicion is that these criminals are exploiting this lapse to strike but the public are beginning to realise that this may be a deliberate arrangement between the security personnel and the hoodlums since these abductions along the route has been on for months now, week in, week out and there is no strategy to change the pattern of securing the highway be ensuring that before one batch leaves, another batch must take its place,” the source said.
Benue State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Sewuese Anene, did not respond to a message sent to her by National Record as at press time.
Similarly, efforts to get official confirmation from the spokesperson of Benue State Polytechnic, Mr Emmanuel Ameh, failed as calls to his mobile number did not go through.
