The Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, has been enveloped by tension over the missing of one of its students in the Department of Science Education, simply identified as Francisca Chioma.
Chioma, it was gathered, was on her way to attend a burial ceremony in an disclosed village outside Awka, Anambra State on Friday and her whereabouts has remained unknown till now.
One of her schoolmates and a friend, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, disclosed the development to our correspondent.
According to her schoolmate, there are fears that she might have been kidnapped.
Although, details surrounding the circumstances of her missing are still sketchy, while some of her friends feared that she might have been kidnapped, others believed she was just missing.
The source said: “She is my friend and also a student in my school at the Science Education department. Her name is Francisca Chioma M. She left for a funeral ceremony somewhere in a village outside Awka, on Friday and till now, her whereabouts is still unknown.
“There are indications that she might have been kidnapped along Omasiunu area in Anambra State. We have called her telephone line severally and it is not responding.”
When contacted on the telephone, the chief security officer of the institution, Ken Chukwurah, confirmed the development.
He said: “Yes it is true. DSS has been fully in the picture since Yesterday. And we are working with them. We got information that one of our students was on her way to attend a funeral ceremony in a village outside Awka on Friday and she has not been found till now.
“It is also important to note that the incident did not happen in the school, we have to be clear about it. We have contacted the relevant security agencies and the ‘kidnappers’ have contacted the family. Although, we are not aware if they have requested for any ransome or not.”
Efforts to also contact the Anambra State police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, proved abortive as calls and messages to his telephone line were not responded to.
