Missing student’s family accuses police of negligence
Samson Folarin
The family of Iseoluwa Omomowo, a final
year student of Technical College, Ikorodu, Lagos State, who disappeared
after withdrawing money from an Automated Teller Machine, has lamented
police’s alleged reluctance to track down his abductor.
His stepbrother, Dr Omoteyinshe Oluwole, who spoke with PUNCH Metro on Sunday, said one of the victim’s phone numbers that had been unreachable, was now active.
He added that a man who picked the call
claimed to have Omomowo with him, adding that the man did not allow any
of the relatives to speak with him.
PUNCH Metro had reported that the 27-year-old Ilaje, Ondo State indigene, lived with Oluwole in the Ebute-Meta area of Lagos State.
Our correspondent reported that he had returned home after a vacation from school.
He was asked to withdraw money from the ATM penultimate Saturday, but he did not return home.
The case was said to have been reported at the Denton Police Division.
Oluwole said the family members were able to get through to one of Omomowo’s lines last week.
He said, “After he went missing on
Saturday after withdrawing money from the ATM, we called his lines until
one of them went dead on Monday. But the second had not been going
through.
“On Saturday, as we continued trying the
second line, it was switched on and a man who answered the call said he
met my brother the same day he went missing and they became friends.
“Initially, he was not willing to talk
to me. So, I used a lady to get him to talk. He has now been
communicating with her. He said my brother now stays with him, but when
she asked to speak with him, he refused.”
Oluwole said he reached out to the
Investigating Police Officer in charge of the case at the Denton Police
Division, but she declined to help.
A text message he sent to the IPO, stated that the IPO did not pick calls.
It said, “Madam, I called your line at
10.52am, but it was not picked. I went straight to your station to
inform the police about the latest information concerning my brother. A
man has been picking one of the lines, claiming that my brother is with
him. His location has yet to be ascertained, and the police are not
doing anything about it.
“It is already one week since I reported
this case. You are waiting for information from the relatives which
primarily should be done by you. I was told to come back by 6pm
(Saturday), that you are on night duty. I must confess that I am not
happy with the way you are handling this matter.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmos, said the command would take over the case.
She said, “The command will take over the case file for discreet investigation.”
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