George Nnamdi, a 200 level Political Science student of the Abia State University Uturu, ABSU, has been arrested by security agents for faking his own kidnap.
The incident took place Wednesday night at his lodge off-campus after visiting his girlfriend.
This is happening less than one week after three students of the university were abducted by armed men on their way to Okigwe in Imo State.
Two of the students later escaped as they were being marched into the bush by their abductors while one just regained freedom after spending three days in the kidnappers’ den.
The Isialangwa South-born undergraduate after the visit to his friend left for his own lodge around 10:00 pm.
He was said to have later sent a WhatsApp message to his girlfriend informing her that he along with three other students had been abducted by some gunmen.
His friend, Faith Godson, a 300 level student of Mass Communication, after receiving the distress message from George quickly alerted security agents for search and rescue operation.
Narrating her experience to newsmen, Faith said George ” chatted her up on WhatsApp and informed her that he had been kidnapped by a gang of six men armed with AK-47 on his way back to his lodge after visiting her”.
She said she was jolted when she read the message around 3am and quickly contacted the university security who immediately swung into action.
Faith added that she was so worried about the fate of her friend that she decided to visit his lodge later in the morning only to discover that ” George was sleeping in his room”.
“When I got to his lodge I saw George and I tapped him on the back and asked him what nonsense joke he was playing. It was at that point that he told me that he was playing a prank.
” Then I told him that he had to go and see the security people because I had already raised an alarm”.
Corroborating her narration, George said he only wanted to pull the legs of his friend.
He said he was sorry for playing such a costly joke and never thought of the implications.
According to him, he was only trying to play with his friend, adding that he did not make any financial demands for ransom as he had no evil intension.
” I’m from a poor background and who will I be expecting to pay the ransom. I just wanted to play a prank on her but I’m sorry for what happened”.
He apologized to the university management for any embarrassment his action had caused the institution.
In an interview, the Chief Security Officer of the university, Navy Commander ThankGod Evulobi (rtd.), said the development was a big embarrassment to the university particularly in view of the recent kidnap incident involving one of their students.
He said that as soon as he got the information that one of their students sent a distress message that he was abducted he quickly mobilized his men to the scene.
The CSO said that when the supposed victim was found to be in his room, he was invited to the university security for questioning.
He said that the university joint security team including the police had obtained a statement from the boy and his girlfriend.
The CSO said that the university Senate Security committee would examine the report and take necessary action.
Meanwhile, both the boy and his friend are still in the custody of the university security.
