Dr. Emmanuel Barki, the acting rector of Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, has allegedly been abducted along with a few employees of the university by unidentified armed men near the Otukpo-Enugu expressway.
The victims were reportedly ambushed by the armed men while returning from Makurdi to Ugbokolo, Okpokwu Local Government Area, LGA, in the state.
The news of the rector’s and his team’s kidnapping, which included the driver, reached the school yesterday, according to an anonymous source within the organization.
“We learned that they were all traveling from Makurdi to Ugbokolo when they got lost and were taken hostage along the Otukpo-Enugu highway,” the speaker stated.It was reported that the abductors left the school bus they were riding on and quickly abducted them into the forest.
“From what we’ve heard so far, the kidnappers have gotten in touch with the Rector’s family and are requesting a ransom of N70 million.”
When contacted, Chief Joseph Har, the Special Advisor to the Governor on Internal Security, verified the development and stated that his men were already searching the jungles for the victims, adding that he was unaware of the kidnappers’ demand for a ransom.
The occurrence was confirmed by Catherine Anene, the Superintendent of Police Public Relations, who also stated that the matter was already under investigation.