Bandits Kidnap Ex-UI Deputy VC, Students on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

Former Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Adigun Agbaje has been kidnapped along the Lagos-Ibadan highway.

Agbaje, a Professor of Political Science, was kidnapped alongside two students of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Ogun State Friday evening.

Shortly after the incident, their kidnappers yesterday made contacts with the families, demanding N50 million ransom on Agbaje and N10 million on each of the students.

Findings said a policeman was killed in the shootout that ensued between the kidnappers and men of the Oyo State Police Command attached to the Tollgate area who were first drafted after sporadic gunshots were heard near the Dominion University some kilometres away from Ibadan.

Further findings revealed that they only saw abandoned vehicles with their doors opened without knowing who the owners were.

Speaking on the incident yesterday, Police Public Relations Office, Oyo State Command, Adewale Osifeso confirmed that a police officer was killed while another one was critically injured during the attack.

It was gathered that the family members and members of the university community were already making efforts to see how to secure freedom of the don.

According to the website of the Institute of Cultural Studies Adigun Agbaje has been Professor of Political Science at the University of Ibadan since 1998. He was Dean, Faculty of the Social Sciences (2003-2005) and Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of academic matters (2006-2010) at the same University.

He started his teaching career at the University as Assistant Lecturer in 1984 and has since then been teaching Research Methods at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

He has also taught Research Methods to senior military, security and paramilitary officers at the National War (later, Defence) College of Nigeria, Abuja (2001-2013) and the Institute of Strategic Studies, Bwari, Nigeria (2012).

He is the author of The Nigerian Press, Hegemony and the Social Construction of Legitimacy, 1960-1983 (1992) and is co-editor of seven books, among others.