Dr. Obi Ilo, President of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Alumni Association, Enugu Chapter, and his son, Kamsy Ilo, were kidnapped by unknown armed men on Sunday. The abduction occurred at Nvene near Four Corners Junction as the pair were returning from Nachi in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The grim news was confirmed in a statement by Dr. Maxwell Menkiti Ngene, a fellow member of the ESUT Alumni Association, which was made available to Daily News Nigeria on Monday. "We are deeply concerned and shocked to announce the kidnapping of Dr. Obi Ilo, the President of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), and his son Kamsy Ilo, a Computer Science student of ESUT," Dr. Ngene stated.
Dr. Ilo and his son were ambushed and taken hostage by the assailants, who are now demanding a ransom of 20 million naira for their release. The urgency of the situation was underscored by a distressing phone call in which Dr. Ilo, audibly shaken, pleaded for help and urged his contacts to intervene.
This tragedy comes on the heels of another personal loss for Dr. Ilo, who recently lost his wife. Her body remains at the Eastern Nigeria Hospital Enugu, adding to the family's profound grief. "This senseless act of violence has compounded the family's already unimaginable sorrow," Dr. Ngene added.
Further compounding the alarm, another source close to the family, who requested anonymity, revealed that the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of 50 million naira. "Good morning everyone. This morning met us with the kidnapping of our own…Dr. Obi Ilo (Onwa Nachi) and his son Kamsy along Nneve just before 4 Corner Junction on his way from the village around 5 pm yesterday," the source disclosed. "The kidnappers have been calling and asking for money as I type… I was called by the mediator. Time is of the essence and help is most needed."
The car belonging to Dr. Ilo has since been recovered and is currently with the authorities. However, efforts to obtain an official response from the State Police Public Relations Officer, Dan Ndukwe, have so far been unsuccessful, as calls to his phone went unanswered this morning.
The ESUT Alumni Association has issued a strong condemnation of the kidnapping, urging security agencies and the government to act swiftly to secure the safe release of Dr. Ilo and his son. "We condemn this cruel and inhumane act in the strongest possible terms. We appeal to the security agencies and the government to take immediate action to ensure the safe release of Dr. Ilo and his son," Dr. Ngene's statement continued. "We also call on the public to provide any information that may lead to the rescue of the victims. Let us come together to support the Ilo family during this difficult time and work towards ensuring their safe return."
While the community rallies together in support of the Ilo family, the incident has highlighted the urgent need for enhanced security measures in the region to prevent such harrowing events from recurring.
