There is tension at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, about the disappearance of one of its students from the Department of Science Education.
The student, simply identified as Francisca Chioma, was believed to have left school on Friday to attend a burial ritual in Omasi Uno village, Ayamelum local government area, outside Awka, the Anambra State capital, and her whereabouts have been unknown till now.
One of her classmates and a buddy, who talked on the condition of anonymity, revealed this. She feared that she had been kidnapped.
The circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain unclear, with some of her acquaintances suspecting she was kidnapped and others believing she was only missing.
One 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 is 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, Tochukwu Ikenga, proved abortive as calls and messages to his telephone line were not responded to.