A Professor of Agricultural Economics and Extension in the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma in Edo State, Prof. Paul Erie, who was abducted on June 16, this year, has been killed by his kidnappers, even as Edo police announced yesterday that they were on the trail of three of the suspected kidnappers.
Professor Erie was abducted along Agbor-Uromi road while on his way to his residence at Igbanke.
His remains were on October 1 exhumed from a forest at Igbanke village in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, where the kidnappers used to keep, kill and bury their victims.
Those who abducted him reportedly collected huge ransom but failed to set him free.
As stated by a statement by Edo State Police Command spokesman, DSP Stephen Onwochei, the fleeing suspects would be arrested and prosecuted.
He said the police made little progress in the search for Prof. Paul Erie until September 7 when two Chinese nationals were successfully released from their abductors.
He said it was the activities of a special intervention team set up by the Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, that led to the arrest of five suspects, whose names he gave as Awulu Sunday a.k.a Saseki, Lucky Owuadegbe, Jeremiah Amayo, Chucks Edobor and Stephen Usiagwu.
Onwochei explained that one of the suspects confessed to the kidnap and killing of Prof. Erie and volunteered to take the police to where Erie was buried.
“He volunteered and led police pathologist, forensic experts and family members to a bush at Igbanke village where a shallow grave was identified and successful exhumation of Prof. Erie was carried out.
“Items recovered from the grave and scene are consistent and suggestive that the remains are indeed that of Prof. Erie also as identified by family members.
“CP Chris Ezike conveys his heart-felt condolences to the family of the erudite professor and the authorities of Ambrose Alli University on this unfortunate incident”, he stated.