Missing Ghanaian lady in Nigeria: Suspect arrested, government piles pressure for answers

The government of Ghana through its High Commission in Nigeria is piling pressure on the Nigerian government on the issue of a Ghanaian lady last seen in April in the southeastern Abia State of Nigeria.

Afiba Abigail Tandoh, a wedding guest has been missing for a month now, along with her Nigerian friend Celine Chidinma Ndidum.

The duo made the trip to southern Rivers State, where they were due to attend a wedding that was cancelled at the last minute.

They travelled to do some business in Aba, the capital of Abia State and have since not been seen.

According to Daily Guide Newspaper, aside from the diplomatic pressures, a significant development has emerged with the arrest of a suspect named Andrew Amechi Otchipo, a 52-year-old British Nigerian with deep connections in Nigeria.

"Otchipo, a supposed notorious figure wanted by security agencies, was apprehended by Interpol in Nigeria to aid in investigations related to the disappearance of the two women.

"Close Circuit Camera (CCTV) footage from the hotel where the trio met revealed crucial evidence linking the suspect to the missing girls, including personal belongings such as the ladies' handbags, ATM cards among others were found in his residence," the report said.

Despite this breakthrough, authorities are facing challenges in extracting information from Otchipo regarding the whereabouts of Afiba and Celine, the report added.

TWI NEWS

Daily Guide gives a sequence of how the disappearance happened:

Information available to DGN Online sheds light on the intricate sequence of events leading up to Afiba’s sudden disappearance.

Following the unexpected cancellation of the wedding they intended to attend, both Afiba and Celine rendezvoused with another acquaintance, Adiani Blessing Onyinye, whose wedding was called off at Garden Heights Estate in GRA, Port Harcourt on April 19, 2024.

Subsequently, the pair undertook a journey to meet Celine’s associate in Aba, Abia State, on April 27, 2024, purportedly regarding a business engagement centred around pet-related ventures—an area of expertise for the Ghanaian visitor. Promising to return by April 29, Afiba and Celine were last seen at the Panyu Hotel and Resort in Abia before their presence became alarmingly absent from public view.

Concern over the fate of the two women escalated dramatically when, on Sunday, April 28, reports emerged hinting at a possible abduction scenario.

An urgent message sent via WhatsApp from Afiba Tandoh's phone included a live location marker, directing the recipient—a mutual contact in Port Harcourt—to alert the authorities promptly. In response to this distress call, the matter was swiftly relayed to the Aba Anti Kidnapping Squad, urging collaborative efforts with the esteemed Nigeria Police Force to expedite search and rescue actions in the pursuit of locating the missing individuals.

Amidst the uncertainty surrounding Afiba Abigail Tandoh’s inexplicable vanishing act in a foreign land, familial distress and official apprehension heighten the urgency to unravel the circumstances underpinning this distressing disappearance.

As waves of speculation ripple through the Ghanaian community, the imperative to track down Afiba and her companion underscores the gravity of safeguarding individuals crossing borders and the vital role law enforcement plays in responding decisively to such poignant cases of missing persons.

SARA