A senior lecturer at the University of Abuja, Prof. Bassey Ubom and his two children were among the six persons who were abducted when bandits invaded staff quarters of the university in the early hours of Tuesday.
The other kidnapped persons were Prof Obanza, Mr. Sambo Mohammed and Dr Tobit.
Consequently, the vice chancellor of the institution, Prof Abdulrasheed Na’Allah has asked members of the public to pray for God’s intervention.
He also said in a statement that the school authority will continue to mobilise everything within its means to guarantee the protection of staff and students and ensure the infraction never happens again.
“They brought their devastation to our Giri Quarters and we are pursuing them with all it takes to recover our dearest ones they kidnapped. Our nation is definitely bleeding and this is too close home for us！
“Please pray hard for God’s intervention. One thing is certain, we shall continue to mobilize everything available to us to protect staff and students and ensure this never happens again,” he said. .
The university has now said it is now mandatory for all staff and students to wear their official identity cards when entering any of the university’s campuses, including the Giri Quarters.
“The Safety Unit has my instruction to turn anyone back who cannot explain their mission on our campus, Quarters or any UNIAbuja branches even if they claim to be staff or students, only University ID card worn on them is a guaranty for entry. We shall overcome!” Na’Allah said.
The FCT police command confirmed the attack on the university in a statement issued on behalf of FCT commissioner of police, Mr. Babaji Sunday by the command’s spokesman, Ms Josephine Adeh.
The statement reads: “The CP noted that a combined team of the police and personnel of the Nigerian Army 176 Guards Battalion were swiftly mobilised to the area to protect the citizens. Preliminary investigations however revealed that six persons were allegedly abducted into the forest by the criminals on sighting the security operatives.
“The CP, while calling for calm, further noted that the security forces are already working with the locals in the area toward rescuing the victims. He assured that the perpetrators would be arrested and brought to book.
“On this note, the Command pledges its undeterred resolve to ensure lives and properties of residents within the FCT are protected and urge them to report all suspicious movements, emergency or distress, through these numbers: 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653 and 08028940883.”
