Inside Nigeria
Freed From Kidnappers’ Den, Prof. Adigun Agbaje Pens an Emotional Letter to Nigerians
Free from the deadly clutches of the dare-devil kidnappers who abducted him and other travellers on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, last Friday, Prof. Adigun Agbaje has written an emotional letter of gratitude to Nigerians thanking them for their prayers and support.
In the letter written on his behalf by his son, Adewale Agbaje, Prof. Agbaje, a former Vice Chancellor at the University of Ibadan, revealed how he narrowly escaped death in the hands of his abductors.
Revealing that “two young ladies, two young men and a middle-aged person” were still being held in the bush by the kidnappers, Agbaje said: “I was shot at in the head during the abduction process. I thank God that the bullet that went through my car’s windscreen left only a skin deep wound on my head even though it left a gaping hole in the cap I was wearing. I did not even know about this till Saturday morning when I saw caked blood on my cap.”
On Friday night, Agbaje and other travellers, including two female students of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, were kidnapped by gunmen in military uniform around Dominica University on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reported, quoting a police bulletin which also disclosed that the Professor was still being debriefed.
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But the police statement did not give details about the release of other kidnapped travellers.
The News Agency of Nigeria also gathered that two students of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, identified as Olayemi Adejare and Oluwatobi Orekoya and Agbaje, were picked up on Sunday night at a location near Sat Guru Maharaji area on Ibadan-Lagos Expressway.
The abductors had reportedly contacted Agbaje’s family for a ransom of N50 million for his release, while they demanded N10 million each for the release of the two students.
Below is the full text of the letter written on Prof. Agbaje’s behalf by his son, Adewale Agbaje:
My father, Prof Adigun Agbaje, recently released by kidnappers, has asked me to issue the statement below on his behalf.
“It’s a new day today and I’m happy to be alive. I was released by my kidnappers yesterday evening after spending two nights in the thick forests of Ogun and Oyo states. My mind goes to the five others who are still left with the kidnappers: two young ladies, two young men and a middle aged person. I was shot at in the head during the abduction process. I thank God that the bullet that went through my car’s windscreen left only a skin deep wound on my head even though it left a gaping hole in the cap I was wearing. I did not even know about this till Saturday morning when I saw caked blood on my cap.
I am undergoing comprehensive health checks and so it may take some time to thank all my family, including my in-laws, friends and in-laws to my children, my own friends, colleagues and all Nigerians.
For now I want to thank the following former and current Vice Chancellors of the University of Ibadan: Prof Olufemi Bamiro, Prof Isaac Adewole, Prof Idowu Olayinka and Prof Kayode Adebowale, my colleagues at the University of Ibadan and other Universities at home and abroad, current and former students, including Mr Fisayo Soyombo, for their wonderful support and generosity to my family, top government, military, and other security officials. I am quite grateful for all your efforts. You all kept hope alive and ensured that the sensitive negotiations came to a successful end when I regained freedom yesterday evening. As stated earlier, my heart goes to those young female undergraduates, the young men and the middle aged person I left behind with the kidnappers. I may not be reachable now but as soon as I get medical clearance from my doctors, I will be thanking all of you personally.”
Adewale Agbaje
31st October 2022
