ACADEMIC activities were paralysed on Monday at the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, (RUGIPO) Ondo State, following the killing of one of the institution staff member, Taiwo Akinyemi, who was abducted by some suspected kidnappers last week Tuesday.
The development led to the suspension of the second-semester examination scheduled to begin on Monday, while students, lecturers and staff of the institution moved around the school in procession as a mark of respect for the death of the deceased.
The state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, also suspended all official assignments and rushed to the school to commiserate with the academic community and described the death of Akinyemi as unfortunate.
The deceased was kidnapped in Amurin junction along Akure/Owo road last Tuesday after the close of work with four other people who had earlier regained their freedom but he was killed by his abductors over failure to pay ransom to secure his freedom.
The remains of the 52-year-old lecturer were said to have been found on Sunday evening, in a bush where they tied him to a stick and tortured him six days after being in the kidnappers’ den.
While addressing journalists over the death of Akinyemi, the Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnic (SSANIP) RUGIPO chapter, Mr Chris Olowolade, described the death of the father of three as sad and unfortunate.
He explained that the union had entered into negotiation with the kidnappers in order to secure his release but said “we lost him to the kidnappers and we received his corpse yesterday (Sunday).
“The kidnappers placed a ransom of N100m on him which nobody can afford but they reduced it to N7m after two days and later grudgingly asked us to come with N.5m.
“The money was taken to them and the person who took the money was directed by the kidnappers where he should drop the money. They asked him to stop, reverse and move just to confirm if he was the actual person bringing the money
“But after some hours they called that the man bringing the money should come back to the spot that they couldn’t see the money, only to be called by the Rector yesterday evening to go and identify a corpse.
“We rushed to the morgue and discovered it was Akinyemi’s corpse. He was tied to a stick with his clothes in the bush. The body was recovered by the police and deposited at the morgue, it shows he was badly maltreated before he was killed.”
He explained that the late Akinyemi was shot at the back by the hoodlums while he was also heavily macheted before he was killed.
While speaking with the staff and students of the institution, Akeredolu explained that the state government and the security operatives tried to rescue the deceased.
Akeredolu lamented that “it is unfortunate that the man couldn’t return home alive. The incident happened some five minutes after I passed the place and I had to deploy some security men in my convoy to the place to rescue the victims.”
Akeredolu assured that the state government would be committed to the security of lives and property saying he has directed the security operatives in the state to increase road patrol to curb the activities of the hoodlums on the roads.
He said, “these kidnappers have become more daring and desperate, this is because we are moving towards festive period but the state police command has assured that they will not limit their operation to stop and search only but they will also increase the road patrol.”
He called on the people of the state to inform police about any strange movement or people in their community and said “community policing and investigation can be done by the people of the community because police cannot be everywhere.
“I am assuring you on behalf of this government that this government will do its best to ensure this will be the last case of kidnap to be recorded in this state and the perpetrators will be brought to book”
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The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Femi Joseph, who confirmed the killing of the kidnapped staff of RUGIPO, also described the death as unfortunate, saying all other victims had regained their freedom
Joseph said men of the state police command have been on the trail of the kidnappers but said no arrest has been made.
Speaking on the effort of the state police command, he said, “we have resolved to increase our manpower on our roads with more patrol to reduce the activities of these criminals to the barest minimum.”
He enjoined the people of the state to be more security conscious and report strange faces or movement to the police.
“I can assure you that justice will be done and the search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts, to find those responsible and bring them to justice.
“We will make no distinction between the kidnappers who committed this act and those who harbour them,” Joseph said
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