Abducted UNIPORT lecturer released over mistaken identity

THE kidnapped lecturer of the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Dr Reginald Ohiri, regained his freedom on Tuesday night, white his abductors said he was not their target of abduction.

Ohiri, of the Department of Biochemistry, was abducted at gunpoint from his resident in Aluuu community, Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state, on Monday night.

The kidnappers, who asked for N2 million ransome, were however, said to have released their victim upon the realisation that the lecturer was not really their target.

Though, the university lecturer, who was said to have arrived his house on Tuesday, could not be reached as at the time of filing this report, the spokesman of UNIPORT, Dr Wiliam Wodi, said the man indeed, regained his freedom on Tuesday night.

He said Dr Ohiri reported at work on Wednesday but could not confirm if any ransom was paid before he was eventually released.

Wodi said it was true that the kidnappers informed their victim that his abduction was a mistaken identity, adding, “the man has been released; he left my office a few minutes ago. He was a victim of mistaken identity. That is what the man told me when he came to my office.”