Imo: Man narrates how 5-year-old niece got missing

It has indeed been a traumatic moment for the family of Obioma Okorocha in Orso-obodo community of Oguta local government area of Imo.

The peaceful atmosphere being witnessed in the family was said to have been polluted by the sudden disappearance of their little daughter on Thursday, February 23, 2023.

Amanda Chizaram Obioma was snatched from her mother, Chinazom Okorocha on their way to a patent medicine shop to take some medication.

Narrating the ugly incident to WITHIN NIGERIA in an exclusive interview, the victim’s uncle, Mr. Kelvin Okorocha told our reporter that since the incident happened, the family has been  living in confusion and anxiety.

” Amanda  Chizaram Obioma is my niece. She was living with my mother and her mum(my elder sister) in Umuguma in Oguta local government area of Imo state. She has been ill for sometime before the ugly incident. She has been receiving medical treatment from one patent medicine dealer in Umuguma.

“So that fateful evening, her mother who also my sister took her to the patent medicine dealer where she was supposed to take her medication at Umuguma. But, according to my sister, they enter a motorbike of one Hausa man. All of a sudden she couldn’t control herself.

“In fact, few minutes later, she just saw herself at Port Harcourt road. How she came there she couldn’t explain till today. Her child, Amanda Chizaram was no where to be found. She couldn’t also explain how Amanda was snatched away from her. She was no longer on Motorbike and the Okada man together with her child was no where to be found.”

Narrating further, Mr. Okorocha said that “when she eventually discovered where she was, she begged somebody who gave her phone to contact mum to inform her of what happened.

“All these things happened in less than one hour. Her mum has gait syndrome and that is why she and her child were with mum. It is also important to explain that she gave birth to the child outside wedlock and the man responsible for the pregnancy refused to marry her.”

Asked if they reported the incident to the police, Mr. Okorocha stated that ” since the incident happened, it has been from one police station to another. In fact, that particular day they went to lodge their complaint to the police station at Umuguma, it was actually a crazy incident that took place.

“They were asked to pay one or two things, signal fee and all that, which they did. After waiting for DPO for about three hours, he eventually came. Unfortunately for them, the DPO turned the case against them. Accusing them of selling their child.

“That they just came to the police station to pretend that they were innocent of her disappearance. As a matter of fact he locked them up in the station there and transferred the case to the state CID where they were detained for some days.

“It was actually through the help of one of our relations that they were able to regain their freedom. Since then, nothing has been done about it as far as police is concerned.”

Explaining further he said that he has not reported to any other authorities about the incident. ” We have resorted to prayers. We pray every day for her, believing that she will eventually regain her freedom.

“I have made her picture and disappearance go viral. Apart from that, there is no other thing we are doing for now.”

On whether he has received any call from anybody claiming to be her abductor and asking for ransom, he said that nobody has ever contacted him to that effect.

However, on what he thought his niece was abducted, he stated that ” it can’t be for rituals. I have gone to one spiritualist and she told me that she is still alive.

“In fact, the woman told me that she is Ngokpola, in one woman’s house who wants to turn her to her own daughter. According to the woman, she is a secured environment. I even went to one church and the pastor there equally told me that she is still alive; that she will still come back. These are what make me believe that she is still alive.”

Asked if they are suspecting anybody of the abduction, Okorocha stressed that, ” I am not suspecting anybody. But in any case, I still remember what one of the spiritual man told me that the person that is responsible for her disappearance is very close to us; that the person had targeted  her for some time.

“The spiritual man also told us the person knows us very well.”

However, appealing to the general public, Mr. Okorocha stated that ” I am appealing to the general public that if anybody has any information that can lead to her recovery should report to the nearest police station or call 0806 604 9499.”