By Davies Iheamnachor,

PORT HARCOURT—Gunmen abducted a lecturer in the University of Port Harcourt and his personal driver, yesterday, just as two teachers from Ubima Community Secondary School in Ikwerre Local government Area of Rivers State were abducted, Monday.

The senior lecturer in the Faculty of Education, Professor Ebi Awotua-Efebo, was trailed and intercepted by the kidnappers outside the premises of the university.

A source revealed that contact has been established with the kidnappers and that N50 million was being demanded as ransom.

The two secondary school teachers, Blessing Chukwu and Ikpendu Samuewere, were abducted along the school road on their way from school.

At press time, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, said police were aware of the kidnappings, adding that they were doing everything to safely rescue the victims.

Sources from the victims’ families, yesterday, disclosed that contact had been established with the abductors, who were demanding N5 million as ransom.

A teacher in the school, Mr. Sunday Onu, told Vanguard: “We are not happy over the abduction of the newly-posted teachers; we were still in the school around 4:30p.m. when we heard gunshots. When we came out to see what was happening, the abductors had taken them away.

“We are calling on the state government to provide security in this community if they still want us to do our work. The rate of kidnapping and killing in this community is unbearable.”

The school’s Principal, Mr. S. A. Akor, said meetings were on with some stakeholders on the development.