A lecturer at Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University of Agriculture Makurdi (JOSTUM), Dr. Ichor Smart, has denied allegations that he masterminded the kidnap of Mrs. Susan Anyagh, the wife of the university’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Chairman, Dr. Paul Anyagh.
Dr. Ichor, who was recently released after spending over a month in police custody, described the claims against him as fabricated lies aimed at silencing him for demanding accountability over funds meant for families of deceased lecturers at JOSTUM.
According to him, the accusations stem from a post he made on the university’s WhatsApp group, ‘JOSTUM Community,’ on December 5, 2024, exposing alleged misappropriation of ASUU welfare funds.
He alleged that the ASUU Chairman, Dr. Paul Anyagh, was unhappy about the post and warned members against discussing ASUU matters on the university’s platforms.
Barely two days later, on December 7, Dr. Ichor said he was falsely accused of being present at the scene of Mrs. Anyagh’s abduction and allegedly instructing her captors to kill her.
The Benue State Police Command had earlier announced the arrest of Dr. Ichor for allegedly orchestrating the abduction.
Mrs. Anyagh, after regaining consciousness, reportedly identified him near the scene of her kidnapping and claimed she heard him giving orders to her abductors.
However, Dr. Ichor strongly denied the accusations, stating that he was not in Makurdi when the incident occurred.
He maintained that on December 6, he traveled to Katsina-Ala for a burial alongside top state officials, including Hon. Kwaghgba Amande, the Benue State Commissioner for ICT and Digital Economy, and Dr. Joseph Jande, the Executive Secretary of the Benue State Universal Basic Education Board.
“I couldn’t have duplicated myself to be at the scene of the alleged kidnap while also attending a burial in my hometown,” he insisted, adding that poor network coverage and a drained phone battery made it impossible for him to make or receive calls at the time of the incident.
To support his claims, he urged the police to release their investigation report, which, according to him, had already proven his innocence by establishing that no calls were made or received from his phone on the day in question.
Dr. Ichor further alleged that during his time in police custody, he was brutally tortured, resulting in a fractured left foot and four dislocated toes, as revealed by an X-ray scan.
After an extensive probe by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja, the lecturer was eventually released.
He described his ordeal as an orchestrated plot by Dr. Anyagh, his wife, and some university colleagues to destroy his reputation and integrity.
He maintained his innocence and called for justice while urging the public to disregard the false accusations leveled against him.