The government of Ghana, via its High Commission in Nigeria, is exerting pressure on the Nigerian government regarding a Ghanaian lady who was last seen in April in southeastern Abia State, Nigeria.
Afiba Abigail Tandoh, a wedding guest, has been missing for a month along with her Nigerian friend Celine Chidinma Ndidum.
Both individuals traveled to southern Rivers State to attend a wedding that was abruptly cancelled. They subsequently journeyed to Aba, the capital of Abia State, for business purposes and have not been seen since.
According to the Daily Guide Newspaper, besides diplomatic pressure, a significant development has occurred with the arrest of a suspect named Andrew Amechi Otchipo, a 52-year-old British Nigerian with extensive 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.
Daily Guide gives a sequence of how the disappearance happened:
Despite this progress, authorities are encountering difficulties in eliciting information from Otchipo regarding the whereabouts of Afiba and Celine, as reported.
Insights provided to DGN Online illuminate the complex series of events preceding Afiba’s sudden disappearance.
After the unforeseen cancellation of the wedding they planned to attend, both Afiba and Celine met up with another acquaintance, Adiani Blessing Onyinye, whose wedding was called off at Garden Heights Estate in GRA, Port Harcourt on April 19, 2024.
Following this, the duo embarked on a journey to meet Celine’s associate in Aba, Abia State, purportedly for a business engagement related to pet ventures—an area of expertise for Afiba. They pledged to return by April 29 but were last sighted at Panyu Hotel and Resort in Abia before vanishing from public sight.
Concern heightened when reports suggested a possible abduction scenario on Sunday, April 28.
Afiba Tandoh’s phone sent an urgent WhatsApp message with a live location marker, prompting the recipient—a mutual contact in Port Harcourt—to notify authorities promptly. This distress call prompted action from the Aba Anti Kidnapping Squad and the Nigeria Police Force to expedite search and rescue efforts.
As the mystery surrounding Afiba’s disappearance deepens, both family anguish and official concern intensify the urgency to uncover the circumstances surrounding this troubling incident.
Amidst speculation within the Ghanaian community, the importance of locating Afiba and her companion emphasizes the critical need to protect individuals crossing borders and underscores law enforcement’s vital role in responding effectively to such distressing cases of missing persons.
[…] Following a month-long search for missing Ghanaian women Afiba Abigail Tandoh and her friend Celine Chidinma Ndidum, significant developments have emerged pointing to suspect Andrew Amechi Otchipo, a 52-year-old British Nigerian with deep ties to Nigeria. […]