The Chairman of the All Progressive Congress in Ward C, FESTAC Town, Lagos, Soji Abraham, went missing a few hours to his visa interview at the Canadian embassy, leaving his family in disarray.
It was learnt that Soji was last seen on February 4, 2021, around 9.30pm on 322 Road, I Close, FESTAC. The politician was working on the membership revalidation of the party in FESTAC when he went missing. The victim’s brother, Adeniyi said all efforts to find Soji had proved abortive as nobody had contacted the family for ransom or given information about his whereabouts.
Adeniyi noted that the matter was reported at the FESTAC Police Station, adding that the Divisional Police Officer promised to investigate the matter. He said, “I was at home when my brother’s wife called me that her husband had yet to return home; we called some of his friends and we were told that they saw him last on 322 Road, 1 Close, FESTAC.
“We called his number but it was switched off; when we tried calling the following day, it rang out and nobody picked it until it was switched off again; since then, we have been calling his phone on a daily basis to see if we can reach him. We count on the police to bring my brother back, because his family has been having sleepless nights, especially the wife and children. If it is true that he was kidnapped, the abductors would have contacted us and demanded ransom, but nobody has called us to ask for money; we put our trust in God for his release.
“He was supposed to go for a visa interview at the Canadian embassy the day after he went missing, but unfortunately, my brother could not make it to the embassy and we don’t know his whereabouts; I pray that God will spare his life. I have not been myself since then.”
A member of the party, who identified himself simply as Ade, said he was at a loss as to the reason behind the abduction of the chairman as he was loved by all.
Ade stated, “Soji is our chairman and everybody was working on the revalidation of the members of the party in FESTAC; how he was abducted is still a mystery to so many of us. I was at Agboju when I received a phone call from a friend, who told me that the chairman was missing, and since then, his family has been making efforts to reach him through his phone. Why he was abducted is still not clear to me, because nobody was contesting the chairmanship post with him and we all like him, because he carried us along in everything he does and recognises the youth. I pray to God to spare and bring him back safely.”
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said Soji’s wife reported that her husband had been threatening to leave the house.
He said, “One Zainab Abraham, the wife of Soji Abraham, reported at the police station a case of a missing person and said her husband had been threatening to pack out of the house and that is the case; we don’t have a case of abduction. We have sent out radio messages and made normal communication announcements, but the DPO and the Area Commander will decide on other police actions to be taken.”
PUNCH