Rivers College director dies in kidnappers den
ONE of the three persons abducted by unknown gunmen within the last nine days in Rivers has died in the kidnappers’ den. The development came just as the State Commissioner for Power, Mr. Augustine Wokocha, regained his freedom.
The deceased identified as Dr. Richard
Ihua-Maduenyi, was said to have taken ill and died as a result of his
inability to get immediate medical attention.
Ihua-Maduenyi, who was the Director of
Academic Planning and Statistics, Federal College of Education,
Technical, Omoku; the State Commissioner for Power, Mr. Augustine
Wokocha; and the College Librarian,
Dr. R.F. Quadri had been kidnapped
at different points across the state.
Our correspondent learnt that while the
commissioner and Quadri were released on Saturday morning,
Ihua-Maduenyi’s body had already been buried in a shallow grave by his
abductors.
We learnt that an
undisclosed sum of money was paid as ransom before Wokocha, who was
kidnapped on October 13, 2012, was set free by his abductors last Friday
night.
While a version of the story has it that
Wokocha was shot on the leg by his abductors before his release,
another account indicated that the commissioner was hale and hearty when
he was released.
Those who regained their freedom were
said to have narrated how the director of planning and statistics,
Federal College of Education, Technical died after taking ill in the
kidnappers’ den.
A source from Omoku, who spoke with our
correspondent on condition of anonymity, said, “We leanrt that
Ihua-Maduenyi took ill while in the kidnappers’ custody and died. His
abductors later buried him in a shallow grave.
“The Commissioner for Power and the
college chief librarian were released on Friday. It is not true that the
commissioner was shot on the leg by his abductors. He was hale and
hearty when he was set free.”
However, the State Commissioner of
Police, Mr. Mohammed Ndabawa, who confirmed the release of the
commissioner, said he (Wokocha) regained freedom at about 7pm on Friday.
Post a Comment