Kidnappers of varsity don demand N20M ransom

Kidnappers of a university don, Professor Johnson Fatokun, have demanded N20 million ransom.

This was disclosed by a staff member of the university, Mr. Umazayi Emmanuel.

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Professor Fatokun, the pioneer Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Dean, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences of Anchor University, Lagos, was kidnapped around 9:00 pm before Garaku, on Akwanga-Keffi road, on Monday.

Mr. Umazayi Emmanuel said that the professor was travelling from Jos to Keffi, in Nasarawa State, on Monday, when he was kidnapped by armed men at about 9:00 p.m. along Akwanga-Keffi highway.

Emmanuel, who was with him on the journey, said they were approaching Garaku, in Kokona, when the gunmen who blocked the road shot sporadically and forced their vehicle to stop.

“When we stopped, they ordered us into the bush and started speaking in Hausa dialect.

“When I told them I don’t understand Hausa, one of them cocked the gun and wanted to shoot at me but ran out of bullets,” he said.

He added that when the gunman discovered that he was out of bullets, he brought out his knife to stab him but he escaped miraculously, ran and hid in drainage.

“While the gunmen were searching for me, soldiers came and engaged them in a gun battle. In the process, the armed gang fled into the bush with the professor,” he said.

Police spokeman in the state, ASP Ranham Nansel, confirmed the incident.

“Prof. Fatokun was attacked by gunmen at Kurmi Shinkafa village, in Kokona Local Government Area.”he said.

Nansel said that the State Commissioner of Police, Bola Longe, has mobilised a search and rescue team comprising the Police Mobile Force and anti-kidnapping personnel to ensure safe rescue of the victim and arrest of the perpetrators.

He said that the team was also working in collaboration with the military, vigilante group, and local hunters with the view to rescuing the victim.