The police authorities in Nasarawa State have rescued a lecturer with the state university in Keffi, Isaac Igbawua, from his abductors.
Igbawua, of the Department of Microbiology, was kidnapped by gunmen from his residence along Old Barracks, Kokona Local Government Area on December 27, 2023.
A day after his abduction, the Nasarawa State Police Command arrested a student of the Federal University Lafia, Daniel Favour Chukwuebuka, and allegedly recovered arms and ammunition from his residence.
This was disclosed on Friday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Ramhan Nansel, in a statement.
He said the lecturer was rescued by operatives in collaboration with members of a vigilance group from a forest at Ogba village, Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of the state on December 28.
“Reacting to the unpleasant development, the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Shehu Nadada, ordered an intensive manhunt for the abductors,” the statement read.
“The search paid off on 28/12/2023 at about 1630 hrs when information was received that some strange people wearing face masks were sighted in the forest at Ogba village, Nasarawa Eggon, and the police in collaboration with vigilante group mobilised to the scene,” the statement said.
The police spokesman said that on sighting the operatives, the hoodlums opened fire, “but were gallantly repelled; they took to flight, and the victim was rescued unhurt and reunited with his family after undergoing medical examination at Police Clinic, Lafia”.