Tuesday, May 12, 2015

ASUU demands unconditional release of kidnapped lecturer

The Academic Staff Union of Universities at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, has called for the unconditional release of Dr. Femi Omisore of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, who was abducted by some gunmen in Ado Ekiti on Friday.

The Chairman of ASUU, OAU chapter, Dr. Caleb Aborisade, in a telephone interview with our correspondent in Osogbo, said members of the union made the call after an emergency congress on Monday.



Aborisade said the union did not have money to pay to the gunmen who abducted one of its members.

The union sympathised with the family of Omisore’s driver, who was shot dead by the gunmen that kidnapped his boss on his way to Oye Ekiti to attend a ceremony.

He said, “ASUU held an emergency congress on Monday on the issue of Dr. Omisore, who was kidnapped. We condemn his abduction and the killing of his driver.

“We sympathise with the family of the driver and we are demanding the unconditional release of Dr. Omisore.”

The management of the university also joined ASUU in demanding the unconditional release of the lecturer.

The Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr. Abiodun Olanrewaju, in a separate interview with our correspondent, said the lecturer was a dedicated man imparting knowledge to students.

He added that neither Omisore nor the school had the capacity to raise the ransom demanded by the gunmen.

Omisore was abducted in Ado Ekiti on Friday while travelling to Oye Ekiti for a funeral.

It was gathered that the gunmen were on his trail and his driver having sighted them accelerated to stop the abductors from overtaking the vehicle.

However, the gunmen caught up with the car, killed the driver and took the lecturer away to an unknown place.