Help! My son and I are in great danger    25/4/2009
     
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A septuagenarian, Pa John Ochi, whose son, Pascal Amaechi Ochi is missing after being accused of involvement in the activities of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has raised alarm over the safety of his son as well as other members of the family.

Five months after his residence was invaded and ransacked by security operatives in search of his son, Pascal, he was yet to set his eyes on him, raising fears that Pascal may have been in a terrible condition if he is still alive.

Pascal had narrowly escaped arrest in December last year, when some security operatives stormed their residence in Enugu in search of him.

The operatives, who thoroughly searched the residence were alleged to have destroyed household property and vital documents when they could not find Pascal, while security surveillance around the household had increased since then.

However, the Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ebere Amaraizu, said he was yet to be briefed on the matter, saying that Police would not harass anybody without any cause.

But briefing newsmen in Enugu , Pa Ochi, who denied knowledge of his son’s whereabout, said his family was living in danger, adding that he was prompted to make the issue public following the latest invasion of his residence at the weekend by suspected security operatives.

He said he could not fathom why his household was "closely being monitored", despite series of losses they had suffered in the past years following the allegation that his son was a member of the MASSOB.

He said: "Last time they invaded my residence, they destroyed property and valuable documents in pretext that they were searching for Pascal. They said he is a member of MASSOB and that he is on their wanted list, dead or alive.

They did not disclose where they are operating from. So, that time, Pascal ran away, but later returned to take his wife and only son away fearing for his life. Since then, I have not set my eyes on him or his wife and only son.

"But the incident of last weekend took us by surprise. We were in the house around noon when five persons, who claimed they were security operatives and carrying guns, came in. They immediately requested to see Pascal and I told them he was not here.

"Not wanting to listen to me anymore, they started ransacking the whole house, kicking and hitting anything on sight. In fact, they turned my house upside down."

According to him, the men left with an instruction that, "I either produced my son or they would deal with me next time.

"I am not afraid to die, but I fear for my family, especially going by the rigours Pascal passed through before. I know that his vehicle was burnt sometime ago by unknown people; I know that he lost his job sometime, following incessant threat to his office and many more."

Pa Ochi, who said his family could no longer continue to live in fear, asked the government to intervene and save them from the imminent danger.

He stressed that "even if my son belongs to MASSOB, he is not with me and I cannot speak for him. They should seek him out where they pursued him to and let me be in peace."

The septuagenarian, who retired from public service some years back, said he did not deserve the present mental torture, more so because on his state of health, which he said has worsened since the sudden "disappearance" of his son.
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