A lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at the Edo State owned Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Professor Monday Lewis Igbafen has appealed to Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo to cause the Police to reinvestigate his kidnap.
The lecturer was abducted on September 28, 2024 dispossessed of his car and other valuable items by the kidnappers.
In a petition signed by Bola Adekanle (Esq) for the legal firm of Bola Adekanle and Co, on behalf of Prof. Igbafen ,the immediate past chairman of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ambrose Ali University (AAU), Ekpoma Chapter and the current Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Benin Zone; appealed to Governor Okpebholo to intervene and call on the Police to reopen the case for further investigation against the backdrop that the kidnap suspects have been arrested alongside the man alleged to have bought stolen vehicles.
According to the petition, the recovered phone was given to him on bond; while his vehicle which was taken during the unfortunate incident has not been recovered in spite of the fact that the man allegedly bought the stolen vehicles has been arrested and the suspects are not having their day in court.
While pointing out that he’s disturbed by the harphazard and incomplete investigation of the case by the Police, the petitioner prayed the Governor to direct that the case be re-opened for further investigation with a view to intensifying efforts to recover the car and other personal effects belonging to Prof. Igbafen and also bring the suspects to justice.
“That the abductors ordered him out of his car, a Toyota Highlander SUV (custom color, chassis number JTEEP21A940053205, registration number AB 180 JQ) valued at 3.4 million Naira (Three Million Four Hundred Thousand Naira) only as at 2018 when it was purchased; took him to the back seat of the car; blindfolded him; took control of the car and drove him away with the car. The other items stolen from our client by the armed gang are listed in the attached annexure;
That our client struggled and miraculously escaped from the den of the kidnappers on Sunday, September 29, 2024;
“That the incident of the kidnap of our client was reported at the Division Police Headquarters, Ekpoma and also to the Director, Department of State Services (DSS), State Command, Benin City. Further to this, the Union of our client (ASUU) informed the then Commissioner of Police, Edo State Police Command, Benin City, via a petition dated December 31, 2024 about the active use of the stolen mobile phone of our client after a successful tracking (please see annexure which contains the tracking analysis):
Stating that as a result, the then Commissioner of Police immediately directed a thorough investigation of the kidnap of our client by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Edo State Police Command under the control of one Udeme Albert as O/C with one Sunny Eneremen (SP) as the handler of the case. Our client and his Union cooperated and assisted the Police in terms of logistics which led to the arrest of some suspects in Ogwashukwu, Delta State, Uromi and Ekpoma both in Edo State. The mobile phone of our client was recovered from the possession of the arrested suspects. Two firearms were also recovered from the possession of the kingpin of the kidnappers, one or two stolen vehicles were also said to have been recovered from them with the arrest of a suspected buyer of the stolen cars;
“That in the company of our client, the chairperson and assistant secretary of ASUU, AAU Ekpoma Chapter visited the office of Edo State Police Anti kidnapping Unit several times to witness the confession of the kidnap of our client by the suspects; . It is important to inform his Excellency that the recovered Mobile phone of our client has since been released to him on bond by the officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit while his car and other personal effects are yet to be recovered.”
While praying to the Governor for intervention for the reinvestigation of the case the petition states,
“That the questions begging for answers include: How come that the car and other personal effects of our client have not been recovered and what happened to the arrested suspected buyer?;
“That sadly enough, nothing has been held about the trial of the five (5) arrested principal suspects whom the police officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit claimed had been reminded in Ubiaja Prisons; and
“That we are extremely disturbed by this development and appeal to his Excellency to direct that the case be re-opened for further investigation with the view to intensifying efforts to recover the car and other personal effects of our client and also bring the suspects to justice.”