Newsbreak: Kidnapped Prof Olaofe fear dead

By Omolade Adegbuyi

There was palpable fear on Wednesday amidst speculations that Professor of Industrial Chemistry who was
kidnapped from his private home in Ekiti may have been found dead and buried in a shallow grave.

The police was yet to speak on the incidence as at press time.

A family source who does not wish to be named said there were no conclusive information that he has been murdered.

“We are worried. We are not sure of anything. None of us has seen his dead body. We believe he is alive” he said as he veiled his emotion and drops of tears.

Sources told Irohinoodua that police and Amotekun detectives who have trailed the kidnappers were shocked to discover the corpse of the Are-Ekiti born Professor in a shallow grave in Ekiti State.

Another source said the kidnappers had earlier refused to come forward to collect the N50m ransome they had asked for.

Kidnappers, largely of herdsmen extraction, have been operating in many South West states including Ekiti for the past decade.

The kidnapping saw a decline in the past one year but the actors remain active in pockets of areas in the South West.

“He was found dead and buried. No doubt, he was killed by the kidnappers. He probably was tortured” a police source told Irohinoodua.

He said he suspected the kidnappers failed to turn up for the ransome after realising he had died in their hands and were afraid the ransome was a bait to arrest them.

Olusegun Abayomi, a community leader from Are Ekiti however insisted the community was yet to confirm his fate. He said the traditional council had already dispatched a team to Ado Ekiti to ascertain what actually happened.

Prof Olaofe was in the comfort of his home when the kidnappers struck.

General Secretary, Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movement, (AYDM) Mr Popoola Ajayi said the death of Prof Olaofe underlines the urgent need for state police.

“State Governors are being asked to protect their people. But they have no power to do so in practical sense. The police and Army who have the best instrument to protect the people are controlled from Abuja. The Governor cannot even query the State Police Commissioner. He does not even attend their operational meetings. He is just a figure head.”

He said while the Governor’s had responded with the formation of Amotekun, the Federal Government have failed to allow states effectively equip the Corps while manpower shortage remains a major hurdle for Amotekun.

He called of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to hearken to the cry of many Nigerians to adopt State police and save Nigeria from what he called “pain, agony and blood.”