EKITI KIDNAPPINGS: NMA, ASUU jittery as 7 members receive kidnap notice

Ado Ekiti—Worried by the spate of kidnapping of its members, both the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, have called for a total overhaul of the security strategies in the state, even as no fewer than seven doctors had received text messages from alleged kidnappers. Six persons, including the former Chief Medical Director, CMD, Dr Patrick Adegun and a nurse working with the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, Mrs Margaret Aladeleka were abducted in different parts of the state in the last few weeks.

Also, a lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University, Dr Femi Omisore was abducted at the weekend, while his driver was killed at Ido Ekiti. Speaking at a joint press conference in Ado Ekiti yesterday the NMA and ASUU expressed concerns over their members becoming target of kidnapping, lamenting that the Police and the Department of State Services, DSS, are not handling the matter professionally.

Through the ASUU, Akure Zonal Coordinator, Dr Alex Odiyia, the lecturers appealed to Governor Ayodele Fayose to get rid of hoodlums for Ekiti to be peaceful. “The government should as a matter of urgency overhaul the entire Police Force and other relevant agencies saddled with the responsibility of keeping peace in the state and more importantly relocate the heads of both services who find it difficult to unravel the root cause of our present predicament”.

The ASUU chief, who was represented by Dr Bola Oniya, said that the security chiefs were allegedly treating the nefarious activities with laxity, calling on all appropriate authorities to act fast. “It is sad to know that the nefarious, inhuman and dehumanizing activities of these hoodlums heralded the arrival of the new Police Commissioner, Mr Joshua Ibine and the Director of DSS, Mr Duke Fubarain.

“This is more so as none of them have been able to come up with any clue on the disappearance of those kidnapped and the whereabouts of the abductors. It is rather better imagined the agony of the family members of these victims since their unfortunate incidents. “The questions on the lips of everybody is why kidnappers have chosen the lecturers or university administrators and their NMMA members. “The possible answer should be because of the hoodlums’ erroneous belief that they earn the highest income in the state that is presently wallowing in poverty.