TheCable

Gunmen have abducted Yinka Adegbehingbe, a professor at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

The professor was kidnapped near Ikire on the Ife-Ibadan expressway around 9pm on Sunday.

Adegbehingbe, who was travelling with his wife, was on his way from Lagos to Ife when armed men stopped his vehicle and abducted him.

Moses Olafare, director of media, ooni of Ife palace, confirmed the abduction, saying he spoke with someone who witnessed the kidnap.

He added that he also spoke with the wife of the lecturer who was at the police station as at the time he called.

“I received a call from one of the passengers who witnessed the abduction of prof Yinka Adegbehingbe. Immediately I received that information, I called OAU PRO. I also called Ife area commander of Nigeria Police Force and later the Commissioner of Police,” he told reporters.

“CP told me she was aware of the incident and requested for more details from our end and we gave that. I later spoke to the wife of Prof. Adegbehingbe. She was in a police station around Apomu when I spoke to her.”

Abiodun Olanrewaju, OAU public relations officer, has also confirmed the abduction.

The high rate of kidnappings across the country has been a source of concern, with the opposition accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of not doing enough to tackle the situation.

Fielding questions from reporters when he returned to the country after a 10-day trip to the UK, Buhari said Mohammed Adamu, acting inspector-general of police, had lost weight because of his efforts to tackle insecurity.