The management of Gregory University, Uturu has stated that the founder of the school, Prof Gregory Ibe released money to the family of Prof Uwadinachi Iweha for the payment of ransom demanded by his abductors.
Prof Iweha, who was kidnapped on June 5, 2022 by unknown bandits, is the Provost of College of Medicine, Gregory University, Uturu.
But more than two months after his abduction, his kidnappers have discontinued communication with his family, even after allegedly collecting millions of naira in ransom.
But the University has come out to explain various roles it has been playing, to get the elderly medical expert out of captivity.
In a statement signed by Pastor Chukwuemeka Idika, Acting Registrar, the school said the statement became imperative in reaction to a latest statement released by Prof Iweha family, which was endorsed by Engr Chinedu Iweha, on behalf of the family.
In the said family statement which was made during a recent protest by women of Ama Asaa Umuopara for release of their abducted father , Engr Chinedu Iweha reportedly acknowledged the contributions of Abia State government and several organizations in the efforts to get their father out of kidnappers’ den.
However, he was allegedly silent in the roles being played by the founder of Gregory University, Prof Gregory Ibe, the management and entire community of the institution in the efforts to save the Provost.
Reacting to the development, the of GUU revealed that the Chancellor of the University, Prof Greg Ibe personally remitted money to Iweha’s family to be paid as ransom, as demanded by his abductors.
The statement further explained that apart from the money sent by Prof Ibe to the family, the Vice Chancellor of the University, has maintained constant communication with the wife of the kidnapped medical expert, adding that the monthly wages of the kidnapped Provost was being remitted regularly through his wife’s bank bank account.
The school added that the Chairman of Nigerin Medical Association (NMA) and Archbishop Iweha, another relative to the Provost, were being contacted regularly by the founder and management of the Uturu-based institution, with a view of setting him free.
The school maintained that it never abandoned the seasoned medical expert to his ugly fate, as Abia State government, Abia State Police Command, Zone 9 of Nigerua Police Force as well as Department of State Service (DSS) had all been charged by the institution, to help release.
” That in his passionate desire to secure the release of Prof Iweha, our Chancellor passionately remitted money to the family from USA to enable payment of ransom of demanded by his abductors.”
” That our Vice Chancellor has maintained constant communication with Mrs Iweha, Archbishop Iweha and Abia State Chairman of Nigerian Medical Association in order to brainstorm on strategies to secure Prof Iweha’s freedom.”
The University further informed that Prof Greg Ibe despite being on a medical trip abroad, has been maintaining communication with the wife of the abducted Provost.
The school recalled that Prof Iweha was billed to represent the Chancellor of the school in a function at an Anglican Church in Old Umuahia on June 5, 2022 but explained that it received a distress call informing it that some bandits had kidnapped Prof Iweha and taken him to unknown place.
The Uturu-based institution stated that apart from visiting the family of the abducted medical expert at Umuahia, it assured the family of its commitment towards the freedom of their valued father.
Meanwhile, despite the payment of millions of naira-worth ransom, nothing has been heard again from the kidnappers, raising fears among some family members that their father may not be alive again.
