Prof. Olayinka Adegbehingbe, an orthopaedic surgeon at the Obafemi Awolowo University OAU, Ile-Ife, who was kidnapped on Sunday, said that he paid N5.045 million to his abductors to secure his release.
OAU Prof. Adegbehingbe who was Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC returning officer for Osun East senatorial election in February 23, 2019, was kidnapped in Ikoyi in Irewole local government area of Osun state while returning to the campus of OAU with his wife on the ever busy Ife/Ibadan express road.
The surgeon, who said he was hale and healthy, attributed his release to the power of God.
According to him, the kidnappers had initially demanded N30 million ransom and later collected N5.045 million for his release after much negotiation.
He condemned the level of insecurity across the country, saying a majority of the youths were jobless and had now resorted to crime.
“The Federal Government needs to invest more in security; we need to know the identity of people coming in and going out of the town, state and the country at large.
“The people who abducted me were Fulani herdsmen and they had four guns and multiple rounds of ammunition as well as different dangerous weapons, ” he said.
He called for community policing as well as provision of employment for the youths, adding that ” idle hands are the devil’s workshop.’’ “I also thank the security operatives, the entire OAU and OAUTHC communities, our families, church members and all other well-wishers for their prayers and other support rendered,’’ he added.
Prof. Oluwole Komolafe, the President of the Nigeria Medical Association in Osun, expressed gratitude to God for the release of Adegbehingbe.
“ The Federal Government should look into the issue of security across the country so that citizens would have rest of mind,’’ he said. Prof. Rasaq Adebayo, another colleague of Adegbehingbe and consultant cardiologist at OAU Teaching Hospital Complex, attributed the release to God’s intervention. “We thank God for the release of our colleague for we cannot afford to miss an intelligent, competent and qualified surgeon like him,” he stated.
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