By Izunna Okafor, Awka
After days of public tension and media buzz surrounding the alleged abduction of five wedding guests said to have gone missing in Anambra State en route to a wedding ceremony in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, new revelations have emerged, clarifying both their safety and the actual location of the incident.
Human rights activist and social media influencer, Harrison Gwamnishu, who initially brought the case to public attention, confirmed late Friday that the five missing travellers had regained their freedom. Gwamnishu also released a 40-second video clip featuring the supposed victims, who individually introduced themselves and expressed appreciation to the public for their concern and solidarity.
One of the men, identified in the video as Femi Adedeji, declared: “My name is Femi Adedeji. Thank you guys. We are back home. We are safe.”
Gwamnishu captioned the footage: ‘The Missing Five Travellers From Lagos To Uyo Were Abducted By Unknown Gunmen’, and included an explanatory note that marked a significant shift from earlier reports that had associated the alleged abduction with Anambra State.
He clarified: “The five left Lagos on a Tuesday morning and arrived in Anambra late at night. They then slept in a hotel. Wednesday morning, they continued their journey using Google Maps. The map took them to Okigwe-Okwelle Road, Imo State, where they were abducted by unknown gunmen wearing masks.”
According to his post, the victims narrated how they were blindfolded and held captive in the bush until Thursday evening, when they were released. The abductors, the victims said, appeared to have been targeting security personnel but chose to spare them.
“They claimed that their abductors were targeting uniformed personnel and spared their lives for that reason,” the activist added.
Gwamnishu also used the post to appreciate the efforts of the Anambra State Police Command and its Public Relations Officer, saying: “I would like to extend my appreciation to the POLICE PRO Anambra State Police Command for his prompt response and public statement regarding this matter.”
The recent update from Gwamnishu is a direct contrast to the initial impression that Anambra was the location of the incident, which generated considerable concern from residents, netizens, and security stakeholders in the state.
Earlier, it had been reported that the travellers, who were Lagos-based and heading to Uyo for a wedding, had made a layover at a hotel in Anambra State on Tuesday night before continuing their journey the next morning. By Wednesday, contact with them had reportedly been lost, prompting a relative to contact Gwamnishu for help, claiming the travellers’ phone lines were unreachable.
In response to the reports as were first posted by Gwamnishu, the Anambra State Police Command, through the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, issued a statement on Thursday clarifying that it had not received any official complaint or report regarding the missing persons from any of its divisions or units across the state. The Command, in the statement, then invited the concerned families and Gwamnishu to formally report the matter at the State Headquarters in Awka or at the nearest police station.
A follow-up statement from the command, shared on Friday and reported by 247ureports, emphasized that despite issuing a press release on May 22 inviting the relatives for necessary action, no formal complaint had been lodged. The statement revealed that Gwamnishu only responded via a Facebook comment under the command’s official post, saying: “Thank you. They are strangers and the family are on their way to the East. They will report today so your office can assist.”
The command lamented that “all attempts by the Command to get Harrison to produce the relatives of the victims have so far proved abortive.” It further noted that the circulation of the story had drawn unnecessary backlash and public doubt over the improved security situation in the state.
“The disturbing news has made some of our followers fault the efforts of the Police and other security agencies on the relative calm and enhanced safety that the State has been experiencing. Also, it has brought reproach on the enthusiasm and commitment of Ndi Anambra to collaborate with the security agencies to fish out the bad eggs in the State,” the statement read.
Despite the initial confusion, the Command then assured the public of its continued commitment to maintaining peace and order, as well as consolidating on the gains recorded in crime prevention across Anambra.
Meanwhile, now that the travellers have regained their freedom and the true location of the abduction has been revealed to be in Imo State, questions linger over the initial miscommunication and the need for verified facts before alarming the public.
The case, though resolved, points hand to the thin line between citizen activism and the need for accuracy in sensitive information, especially one delicate as security matters.
