Thursday 23 August 2012

ESUT lecturers protest VC’s kidnap

MEMBERS of
Academic Staff Union of
Universities , ASUU,
Enugu State University
of Science and
Technology, ESUT
Branch, Thursday,
protested the non-
release of their Vice-
Chancellor, Professor
Cyprian Onyeji, nine
days after his
abduction by suspected
kidnappers.
The academic staff led
by their chairman, Dr.
Agu Gab Agu,
demanded the
immediate release of
the Vice Chancellor
who was abducted at
the gate of the ESUT
permanent site at
Agbani Wednesday last
week.
After spending nine
days in captivity,
nothing meaningful
has been heard from
his abductors except
the rumour that their
earlier demand for
N200 million ransom
had been reduced to
N50 million.
The lecturers who
marched round the
former temporary site
of the university at
Independence Layout,
Enugu, dressed in their
academic gowns
displayed placards with
various inscriptions.
Some of them read:
“Kidnapping is anti-
intellectualism”, “ESUT
is not safe for academic
exercise”, “Set free our
VC to continue his good
works”, “Please release
our VC for everybody’s
happiness” and “All we
are saying give us
protection in our work
place”.
The protest was
preceded by a prayer
session conducted by
Professor John
Obasikene, the Dean
Students Affairs.
Addressing the
lecturers, the ASUU
Chairman, said: “As
colleagues of Prof.
Cyprian Onyeji, we
attest that he is a good
natured man who will
not wish the abduction
of an enemy.
”We join well-meaning
persons to pray and
demand that his
abductors bring him
back safely to rejoin his
family, friends and
colleagues, now.”
Agu urged the lecturers
not to relent in their
prayers for the release
of the Vice-Chancellor
whom he described as
a financial member of
ASUU.
He enjoined the
aggrieved lecturers to
get involved in the
search for the VC,
advising them to send
any information they
may have about the
VC’s abductors to the
appropriate security
agencies.
Meanwhile, non –
academic staff and
students of the
university have
continued to hold
special prayer sessions
for the release of the
Vice Chancellor while
appealing to his
abductors to set him
free without further
delay.

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