Lost In Transit: Dubai-Based Nigerian Family Disappears On Way To Asaba

A Dubai-based Nigerian family has been declared missing after they embarked on a journey from Lagos to Asaba, Delta State. The family of four has been missing for seven days now.

The Onyeocha family, including Edna, 35, and her three kids, Loveth, 11, Precious, 8, Golden, 6 and Edna’s cousin, Chinyere, left Lagos last Wednesday in a chartered Toyota Camry saloon car with registration number LAGOS KU 108 EKY.

Ugochukwu Onyeocha, Edna’s husband and father of the missing kids, told P.M. NEWS that he and his family came into the country on Monday, 24 January for a holiday from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, their base. The last time the family came to Nigeria was five years ago.

But last Wednesday morning, he hired a cab that came to pick them up at Jakande Estate, Isolo, where they all stayed with his wife’s sister, before their ill-fated journey to the Delta State capital. According to Ugochukwu, an accountant, his wife, Edna, a staff of Standard Chartered Bank, Dubai, and the children left for the trip around 10a.m. in a car driven by a man called Godfrey Emmanuel Inalegwu, who works for a car hire outfit.

Ugochukwu said he last spoke with his wife at around 11a.m. of that Wednesday and later around 3p.m. when he tried to check on them. But he could no longer reach her afterwards as her phone was switched off. Ugochukwu was now disturbed by his inability to reach his family. “I again called her phone to confirm their safety but her phone was still switched off. I later gave up, thinking probably because they were on the expressway, and there was no network. After some time, I tried again and the phone remained dead.

“My kids don’t use phones so I didn’t bother to call them. At a point, I thought maybe she was tired and wanted to rest. So, later I went to bed.” But early the next day, Ugochukwu’s mother-in-law, whom the Onyeochas were going to visit in Asaba, was the first to call, asking after them. Ugochukwu was stunned when his wife’s mom told him she was yet to set eyes on his family.

“After my mother-in-law gave me this shocking news, I quickly picked my phone and tried my wife’s line over and over but it remained switched off. “I then rushed to the Red Cab park in Amuwo Odofin, to look for the driver named Olajide that brought the driver that took my family on the journey, but I didn’t meet him. I asked after him from his colleagues and they said he came around in the morning and left.

“I asked for his number and called him but his number was switched off. So I left and dropped my number with them that he should call me as soon as he comes. He did call me later but had no clues as to their whereabouts.” The missing family are suspected to have been abducted somewhere near Otu Costain – a border town between Ondo and Edo States – based on the record on the map of the tracking device attached to the car they were travelling in.

“The map showed that the vehicle left Lagos around 10 a.m. and passed Ore. They got to a place called Otu Costain, the car stopped there for six minutes and continued again; after that nothing could be seen again on the map. Whatever happened to my family could have occurred at that point,” Onyeocha told P.M.NEWS.

Meanwhile, the matter is now being investigated by detectives at the Force Criminal Investigations Department, FCID, Panti, in Yaba. Ugochukwu first reported the case at the Festac Police Station before it was transferred to Panti. The last time the family came to Nigeria was five years ago.

By Funsho Arogundade
Culled from 234next.

what a pity

Probably their IBO brothers have kidnapped them as usual.

hope they find them soon

seanet03:

Probably their IBO brothers have kidnapped them as usual.

imagine if it was your relative

have some pity

i wonder how ugochukwu must be feeling now. Very sad. Hope they find them soon.

this is kidnapping as usual.
my heart goes to the this man. how dreadful not knowing his family whereabout.

This is horrible!

I pray they find them, and its only a case of kidnapping. .

it shows how people are desperate to have money

So sad. This reminds us of the true state of our country. Nobody is safe

@alhajrem, what pity did you want me to show again? By giving a good advice to the police on a notorious kidnapping tribe, i have already shown some pity

^you really must have a miserable life.

Does Warri/Asaba have no airport?

The last time I took a bus from Lagos to Onitsha, then Onitsha to PH, I swore I would never travel that kinda journey by road again.

I pray for the family.

^^^^

and when was that?

yes go on and lie

Why bring tribalism into this thread? What has happened here is a travesty.

Hope they're safely found.

seanet03:

Probably their IBO brothers have kidnapped them as usual.

seanet03:

@alhajrem, what pity did you want me to show again? By giving a good advice to the police on a notorious kidnapping tribe, i have already shown some pity

You're a naturally wicked human being.

@ seanet03

NA WA FOR YOU OO!!! .

This is really sad. Venturing out of Lagos/SW or Abuja is getting too dangerous.

dem_people:

Hope they're safely found.

You're a naturally wicked human being.  

Found where ? when their ibo brothers are waiting for ransome somewhere in the evil forest

Shakes my head at these tribalistic chest beaters

Sad news, that's why I wish the would worry and finish Asaba and Enugu Airport so we don't have to  travel through Yoruba Yoruba land anymore.

They were safe in the south west only to be kidnapped on entering iboland.is that what you called tribalism ?  

The thing wey dey vex me the most:

1. Why wasnt tpia traveling in that area around that exact time?
2. Why dont anyone wanna kidnap that thing, no matter what the price?

is tpia worth kidnapping ? who will pay the ransome ?

~Bluetooth:

is tpia worth kidnapping ? who will pay the ransome ?

Imagine, I pay one Igbo bobo to kidnap am. . . . . but him go tell me no amount of money is worth it

Ileke-IdI:

Imagine, I pay one Igbo bobo to kidnap am. . . . . but him go tell me no amount of money is worth it

waste of time and money. . .i bet nobody will bail that loud-mouthed old lady.

~Bluetooth:

waste of time and money. . .i bet nobody will bail that loud-mouthed old lady.

You nko? $5,000, she's all yours.

Ileke-IdI:

You nko? $5,000, she's all yours.  

me and tpia ?   not in this life,hereafter,heaven or hell

~Bluetooth:

Found where ? when their ibo brothers are waiting for ransome somewhere in the evil forest

There comes a time for everything. We all might enjoy the mental stimulation that comes with arguing and debating on this forum but when a tragedy like this occurs, the positive virtues of humans should prevail. I'm disappointed in you and seanet03.

animal brains, animal talk.

nuff said.

dem_people:

There comes a time for everything. We all might enjoy the mental stimulation that comes with arguing and debating on this forum but when a tragedy like this occurs, the positive virtues of humans should prevail. I'm disappointed in you and seanet03.

they are not dead. . .just holidaying with some dear-devil ibo rascals in the forest.Kidnapping is a lucrative business in the east,so why are you pretending

as if it's the first time you are hearing such breaking news from iboland ? mschew  

~Bluetooth:

they are not dead. . .just holidaying with some dear-devil ibo rascals in the forest.Kidnapping is a lucrative business in the east,so why are you pretending

as if it's the first time you are hearing such breaking news from iboland ? mschew  

Beats the hell out of me. I don't know why they are acting brand new?

lol @ Asaba Airport, as if den no fit kidnap people right inside the Airports itself,