PUBLIC NOTICE ON LOSS OF PERSONAL ITEMS AS A RESULT OF ARMED ROBBERY AND KIDNAPPING BETWEEN 21ST SEPTEMBER, 2022 AND 2ND OCTOBER, 2022 IN OCHADAMU, OFU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KOGI STATE, NIGERIA
I, PROF. Bamidele Ayodeji OLUWADE, a Contract Professor and the incumbent Head of the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria wish to say that on 21st September, 2022, at around 16.30hours, I was kidnapped at gun point by five (5) hoodlums who waylaid me at a spot close to a major junction at Ochadamu town, along the Anyigba-Ajaokuta highway, Kogi State, Nigeria. As at the time, I was driving in my TOYOTA RAV4 vehicle, ash colour, with registration number KOGI LKJ 27BJ, as the sole occupant, from my office at PAAU to my home at Jimgbe, via Lokoja, Kogi State. The hoodlums immediately seized my mobile phone, led me through the adjoining bush to the forest/mountain, ransacked me, collected my wallet/purse, and also collected a sum of Twenty Thousand Naira (N20, 000.00) cash kept in my jacket.
I was in the den of the kidnappers in the forest from Wednesday, 21st September, 2022 till Sunday, 2nd October, 2022 when my family members and negotiators negotiated for my release after the payment of a ransom of Six Million Naira (N6, 000,000.00). Thus, I was released somewhere around Ejule town in Kogi State, Nigeria after spending a total of eleven (11) nights in the captivity of the kidnappers in the forest. For almost all the time during my captivity, a heavy chain with padlock was hung around my right foot, and the extension of the chain was tied to another padlock on a tree. I was also occasionally beaten on my head, back and chest with a heavy log of wood similar to what herdsmen use to beat cows. In addition, among others, I slept in the open space on the bare land in the forest (amidst shrubs, trees and crawling animals) without any form of protection from natural elements such as sunshine and rainfall. As a result, I suffered significant physical wounds. I also suffered mental and psychological trauma/torture. I have since my release been receiving series of medical treatment via alternative medicine both within and outside Kogi State.
My TOYOTA RAV4 Jeep, which the kidnappers made me to abandon on the road, was later found by the security agencies and collected on my behalf on 5th October, 2022 from the Divisional Police Headquarters, Ugwolawo, Kogi State, Nigeria. However, after taking possession of the vehicle, I observed that the following set of my personal items, which I could remember, were missing from the vehicle:
(a) Three (3) Modems having SIM cards of MTN, AIRTEL and ETISALAT mobile telecommunication operators respectively.
(b) Router, with SIM card of GLO mobile telecommunication operator.
(c)Smart Phone, of the Infinix Smart HD type, with dual IMEI identity numbers 356891828244840, 356891828244857.
(d) HP Laptop.
(e) Power Bank, for charging mobile phones.
(f) Flash drives.
(g) Cheque books and leaflets of various banks, namely: (i) Cheque book and a signed leaflet of account of Society for the Advancement of ICT & Comparative Knowledge (SOCTHADICK) (an international intellectual cum professional association, of which I am the foundation/incumbent Society President), domiciled at First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria (of which I am a co-signatory) (ii) Cheque book of End User Account of Department of Computer Science, PAAU, domiciled at Zenith Bank, Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria, of which I am a co-signatory (iii) Cheque book of Consultancy Account of Department of Computer Science, PAAU, domiciled at Zenith Bank, Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria, of which I am a co-signatory (iv) Cheque book leaflets of my personal current account domiciled at Guaranty Trust Bank Company, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria (v) Cheque book leaflets of my personal current account domiciled at United Bank for Africa (UBA), Minna, Niger State, Nigeria (vi) Cheque book leaflets of Dewade Systems Consult (DSC), domiciled at Ecobank, Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria, which is a registered information and communication technology service provision consultancy firm involved in computer software development, design and deployment of ICT products and training, of which I am the Principal Consultant/Founder (vii) Cheque book leaflets of my personal current account, domiciled at Ecobank, Minna, Niger State, Nigeria (viii) Cheque book leaflets of my personal savings account, domiciled at Ecobank, Iwo Road, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria (ix) Cheque book leaflets of my personal savings account, domiciled at First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Ojoo, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria (x) Cheque book leaflets of my personal current account, domiciled at Polaris Bank, Agodi Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
(h) One bag containing office-related documents, and another bag containing research and teaching notes, books and documents.
(i) Land documents, for a plot of land in Gwagwalada, FCT, Abuja; two plots of land at Oloruntele via Okeigbo in Ileoluji/Okeigbo Local Government Area, Ondo State; and one plot of land at Kulende Estate, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.
(j) A torch light.
(k) Software development results, personal textbooks, general notes, and lecture notes on computer science concepts, especially computer programming and computer hardware design and experimentation.
(l) Research papers, notes and documents on my ongoing research on Bioinformatics, namely, modeling and implementation of automated disease monitoring system in public buildings (with a case study on COVID-19) using ICT tools, involving artificial intelligence (AI) and design and deployment of sensors, with applications to prevention and detection of terrorism, banditry etc.
(m) Some mapped-out administrative plans, strategies, files and documents relating to the Department of Computer Science, PAAU, Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria.
(n) Personal paper files and jotters.
(o) Toiletries such as tooth brush, toothpaste, rechargeable clipper etc.
(p) Stationeries such as pens, pencils etc.
(q) A sum of money in cash, about One Hundred and Ninety Thousand Naira (N190, 000.00), the bulk of which was withdrawn from the bank same day of the attack (i.e. 21st September, 2022) for some purchases/expenditure.
(r)Other related items/documents such as recharge cards for mobile phones, postage stamps etc.
All frantic efforts made to trace and re-possess the items stated above proved abortive, hence this public notice.
PROFESSOR BAMIDELE A. OLUWADE
Announcer
*Last updated on 11th December, 2022. Website maintained by Dewade Systems Consult.
SOCIETY FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF ICT & COMPARATIVE KNOWLEDGE 