by Akan Ido

Five armed men yesterday morning abducted the former Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University and a two-time Attorney-General of the old Anambra State, Prof. Ilochi Okafor, SAN.

Okafor was abducted by the unidentified men around 8am on Sunday while he was preparing to go to church.

The incident was confirmed by the Enugu Police Command public relations officer, Ebere Amaraizu, who said the kidnapping happened at the victim’s residence on Pioneer Avenue in Independence Layout, Enugu State.

Amaraizu said, “He just opened the gate and was about driving out when he was picked.”

The PPRO reportedly gave assurances that the ex-VC will be returned to his family unhurt.

“We are already working on information given to us by members of his family and we would soon make our findings known to the press, but we would not divulge the sensitive ones so as not to sabotage our investigations.”

Meanwhile, the family of the victim have released a statement calling for prayers for the safe return of Okafor.

The statement reads: “With regret and great sadness, we wish to announce that Prof. Ilochi A. Okafor, SAN, has been kidnapped this morning at his residence in Enugu. Prof. Okafor was a two-time Attorney General of the old Anambra State as well as a  former Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikwe University, Awka.

Please join us in praying to Almighty God for his immediate and safe release from his captors. Thank you.”