Abuja landlord whose 16- year-old daughter went missing, accuses tenant of abduction

Abuja landlord in the Kapwa, Federal Housing Estate, Lugbe, Abuja, Alex Osuji, has accused his tenant, Cornelius Ubara, of abducting his daughter, Precious. He said he left 16-year-old Precious at home for a banking transaction on November 13, 2015, the day of the incident.

According to him, when he returned home, his wife told him their daughter had gone missing.Alex said they called Precious’ mobile line, but it was switched off, adding that nobody could offer any clue about her whereabouts. He said  their neighbour, Ubara, who was around when he left the house, denied seeing her that day.

He said, “However, around 8.20pm, messages started coming from Precious’ line into my phone and that of my wife. One of the messages read, ‘I am sorry daddy. I will miss you and mummy. I cannot face this shame. I am pregnant for my friend. I am sorry I have to travel out to avoid embarrassment, thank you’.”

“Another one sent to her friend, read, ‘My good friend; I just have to tell you this at the wrong time. Please keep it to yourself. I am not a virgin as you thought. I am ashamed of myself. The guy that is taking me for lesson impregnated me. He has given me money to go and stay with his aunt somewhere.”

The couple said they did not believe that their daughter fled the house because of pregnancy as she had her menses only two weeks to her disappearance. The matter was later reported at a police station.

Alex said, “Initially, I had no suspect, but the following day, which was Saturday, a neighbour, Ajia, told my wife that Precious bought two bottles of soft drink from her the day she went missing. She said one of them was for Ubara, my next-door neighbour. “When Ajia confronted Ubara, he could not deny it.” Alex said the empty bottles of the soft drinks bought by Precious were found in Ubara’s living room, adding that his neighbour might know about his daughter’s whereabouts.

“If my daughter had left the house on her own volition, she would have taken her clothes. She did not even take her purse. It was only her phone that was not in the house,” he added. The police were said to have arrested Ubara and Precious’ lesson teacher, Mr. Samuel Nnaji, as well as Christian Eboh, the owner of a business centre where Precious worked. They were all reportedly released after two days.

It was learnt that the matter was later referred to the Federal Capital Territory Police Command Headquarters in Garki, where a deputy commissioner of police reportedly said the text messages sent from Precious’ phone to her parents were sent by her captors to divert attention.

Before Precious got missing on November 13, 2015, she was scheduled to sit for English Language in the National Examination Council’s Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination the following day. The police were said to have informed the family that she did not sit for the paper.

It was learnt that the Investigating Police Officer at the command headquarters threatened to abandon the case because she was not paid. Alex said, “She asked me to give her N30,000 for mobilisation or she would abandon the case. I could not give that to her. However, I eventually had to part with N10,000 and she said I still needed to give her N10,000 later. I also gave her N2,000 for case jacket.

“Two weeks after the incident, Ubara started packing out of my house. I called the police to report that the suspect was packing out. They said I should allow him to pack. I do not know where he packed to.” Attempts to speak with Ubara proved abortive as his mobile phone was switched off. A text message sent to the line was also not replied to. Attempts to speak with Precious’ lesson teacher also proved abortive as the line could not be reached.