*jona:

Where is our son?
By Jude IsiguzoPublished TodayNewsRating: Unrated
•Relations of missing 34-year-old man ask

Okechukwu Five months after he left home, Okechukwu Nsofor, a trader, is yet to be found. His relations are in a quandary as to his whereabouts. They are asking the police to help solve the riddle of his whereabouts. JUDE ISIGUZO reports.




Where is our son? This is the question members of the Nsofor family of Oraeri town in Anambra State are asking.

They have been searching for their 34-year-old son, Okechukwu, whose whereabouts is unknown.

Okechukwu was said to have left home on June 10 for Ojo Barracks to claim a debt from two of his kinsmen - Chikwelu Okoro and Ikechukwu Anierobi - but has since not returned home.

Okechukwu was reportedly seen with some members of the Charismatic fellowship at St. Michael, Rapheal and Gabriel Catholic Church, Satellite Town, Lagos.

Though the matter has already been reported to the police, they are yet to establish whether it was kidnap or murder.

But investigations by The Nation showed that the police suspect ritual murder.

The suspicion, it was learnt, was fuelled by the discovery of a shrine in one of the rooms in Okechukwu’s former abode.

The shrine was reportedly put up by his debtors, Okoro and Anierobi.

Until his disappearance, Okechukwu, a resident of No. 20 Edo Kpolo Street, Abuleoshun, on the outskirts of Lagos, was trading in foreign exchange.

One of Okechukwu’s relations, who craved for anonymity, narrated how Okechukwu met Okoro and Anierobi through a fellow church member whose name was given as Paul.

Paul, it was leant, was an apprentice, who had accommodation problem.

He told Okechukwu of his plight and he took him in.

But when Okechukwu travelled to his Oraeri countryhome in Anambra State, Paul took in Okoro and Anierobi.

Although Okechukwu did not take lightly to Okoro’s and Anierobi’s invitation, he, nonetheless, accommodated them.

Trouble began when Okechukwu spoke of his plan to relocate to the North.

He reportedly told them that on his relocation to the North, he would rent out his apartment and sell some of his furniture.

Okoro and Anierobi said they were willing to pay Okechukwu N220, 000 for the outstanding one year rent, and some of the furniture.

But they said Paul would not live with them since he was not making any contribution.

Okechukwu appealed to them to accommodate Paul. They agreed, and began to live with him.

Preparatory to his leaving his Abuleoshun home, Okechukwu moved to his in-laws house in Festac, and was visiting once in a while. On one of such visits, he found out that Okoro and Anierobi had built a shrine.

When he was confronted with the strange sight, Okechukwu beat a retreat and informed members of his prayer group who advised him not to go there again.

They said anytime he wants to go and collect the rent, he should not go alone.

But on June 8, Anierobi called Okechukwu to inform him that the money was ready and that he should come to Ojo Barracks to collect it.

When Anierobi called him, he put his phone on speaker.

Some members of his prayer group heard the conversation.

They advised Okechukwu not to go to Army Barracks for whatever reason.

On June 10, Okechukwu returned from a Bible study when he got a call from Okoro that he should come and collect the money.

Okechukwu went and has since not returned.

Alarmed at his disappearance, his elder brother reported the matter at the Festac Police Station.

The suspects were arrested, and were later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti.

In the course of their investigation, the police discovered the shrine in Okechukwu’s room.

They also found Okechukwu’s mobile phone with one of the suspects.

Upon interrogation, Okoro and Anierobi confirmed that they asked Okechukwu to come for the money at Ojo Barracks.

They said Okechukwu told them that he would be with them in 30 minutes but they waited endlessly for him.

They said they tried his mobile phone, it was switched off.

When asked how the shrine came about, Anierobi said they worshipped there as members of the Idemiri deity.

He said the shrine was for prayers and not for anything sinister.




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