Police in Benue State have detained Dr. Ichor Tersagh, a lecturer at Makurdi’s Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University of Agriculture, for allegedly masterminding the kidnapping of his colleague’s wife, Mrs. Susan Anyagh.
Her spouse, Paul Anyagh, is the chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities chapter at JOSTUM.
It was said that the woman was attacked and kidnapped by some persons on Otukpo Road in Makurdi last Saturday.
The suspected kidnappers allegedly collected N1.3 million from her car, beat her to a coma, and abandoned her on a woodland walk.
Catherine Anene, the state command spokesperson, verified the incident and stated that the woman was later discovered along Yandev-Ugbema Road and was transported to the Primary Healthcare Clinic in Ameladu for treatment.
According to the PPRO, after regaining consciousness, the victim described seeing her husband’s colleague near where she was abducted and beckoning to him to save her life, but the professor turned away from her.
The PPRO said in a statement, “She stated that while she was driving from the NNPC mega fuel station, Kanshio, where she went to collect money from her customer, she was flagged down at Otukpo Road by persons who claimed to be in need, and she stopped to render help.
“They quickly jumped into her car and pointed a gun at her, ordering her to drive towards the Wurukum area.
“Immediately, she looked outside the car and saw her husband’s colleague, Dr. Ichor Tersagh Smart of JOSTUM, standing by the car; she beckoned to him for help, but he turned his back and walked away.”
The statement added, “While moving in the vehicle, her abductors received a call from Dr. Ichor ordering that she should be killed, and she became agitated.
“When they sighted a police checkpoint ahead that was checking vehicles, they decided to reverse to a hidden place.
“They parked the car, brought her out, collected the sum of one million three hundred and fifty thousand naira (N1,350,000) she had in the car, opened the car boot, and took a vehicle jack, which they used to hit the back of her neck, and she fell.”
Anene stated that the lecturer had been arrested in connection with the crime and that the investigation was still underway.
When called on Friday, the victim’s husband verified the incident, saying he was currently at the police command headquarters handling the case and promised to provide further information later.
