Prof. Olayinka Adegbehingbe, an orthopedic surgeon at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH), Ile-Ife in Osun State, who was abducted by unknown gunmen Sunday has regained his freedom.
A family source who sought to be anonymous disclosed the news of his release but declined to confirm if any ransom was paid for his release.
Spokesperson of the Osun State police command, Mrs. Folasade Odoro, confirmed the release but also did not say if any ransom was paid.
The Public Relations Officer of OAU, Abiodun Olarewaju, confirmed that the professor was on the way to the campus in the company of security agencies, to be reunited with his family.
The professor and his wife were reportedly attacked around Ikire on Ibadan-Ife expressway on their way from Lagos about 9pm on Sunday.
The gunmen took only the professor and left the wife.
Eyewitnesses recounted that several vehicles ran into the ambush by the gunmen.
Several vehicles were reportedly stopped by the armed men, forcing many people to abandon their vehicles and flee into the bush.
The professor’s abduction came on the heels of an attack on travellers on Ife-Ilesha highway by a truck-load of suspected Hausa-Fulani gunmen same day.
Several people were reportedly injured in the attack, which occurred around Ikoyi town, also in Osun State, about 6.45pm.