A youth Corp member, Cynthia Amarchi Nwawuike, who left Ibadan to Lagos has not returned home. Following her mysterious disappearance, her family members have cried to the Police and other security agencies to help them find their daughter.
Amarachi, 25, boarded a vehicle from Ibadan to Lagos to spend the weekend with her parents on March 15. The political science graduate of the University of Lagos, who was undergoing her National Youth Service programme in Akure, Ondo State, was said to have boarded a commercial vehicle at Iwo road, the faithful day.
However, her expectant friends who looked forward to hearing from her after arriving at her parent’s home in Ikorodu, Lagos, were astounded when consistent calls to her telephone did not elicit any response. Her deeply worried colleagues resorted to Facebook to trace her parents and, luckily, they succeeded. Similarly, the shocking news of her disappearance from her friends triggered off serious tension in the family of six that spent all their savings to train her in school. Her mother, Mrs Constance Nwawike, a primary school teacher who narrated the family ordeals in tears.
Said:
“On a fateful day, I called my daughter’s number but it was switched off. I thought it was network. I didn’t call again. On Monday, I called the number again but no response. I continued for three days without a response. I then alerted my husband. It brought tension to everybody in the family.
“The entire household was in tears and even my younger daughter expressed surprise that her senior sister, Cynthia, did not wish her well on her birthday which took place that weekend. Suddenly, somebody called her service centre and said that they were looking for her. Before I got the news, it was on a Friday, a week after that 15th. The State Coordinator also called and reported that they didn’t see her after she travelled home.
Shocked at the unfolding drama, I also informed them that she did not return to our home at Ikorodu. I made further enquiry, the Coordinator said her friend, also a corp member told them that she travelled to meet us in Lagos and since then, she has been calling her number without reply. I asked the man to give me the lady’s number.
I talked to the lady and she said that she has been trying to reach me. In fact, that Saturday, I wasn’t myself. I went to Ikorodu police station and reported the case. They said that I should go to Ibadan because the lady made it known that she took Ibadan -Iwo road and when she got a vehicle going to Ikorodu straight, that they had a conversation. She told her that she has boarded a bus going to Ikorodu and her friend said she wished her safe trip. Since then, she hasn’t seen her and she hasn’t heard from her “.
” We have gone as far as consulting the anti-kidnapping squad and they told us that they have tracked her number at Kano. Anti kidnapping unit told me later that they made some arrest and I asked how far but the policemen were being economical with the truth. Last week, I called them but they said that they will call me back but they didn’t call me back. I also reported the case in Osun state police command.
They later invited me for an interview but when I got there, they said I should connect them with the anti-kidnapping unit investigating the matter in Lagos which I did only for the police in Osun to say that they have been trying the telephone number of their colleagues in the anti-kidnapping unit, Lagos without success. All my pleas to them to intensify efforts and locate my missing daughter fell on deaf ears. In fact, at a stage, the police in Osun told me point blank that their counterparts in Lagos do not want to relate with them over the case.
” I am appealing to the Inspector- General of Police; other security agencies, and members of the public to help me search for my daughter. We can not be at peace until her whereabouts are known.Please, help me, I am devastated. The police are economical with the truth. let the IGP wade in so that the police officers investigating will open up on what really happened “.
