– Woman was last seen on January 1, 2016
– Boyfriend claims stranger picked the call when her mother called
– Police arrest, release boyfriend as investigation continues
The Punch reports that Grace Utum, a worker with Arik Air, has gone missing after paying a visit to her lover in Ojodu Berger area of Lagos state.
Utum had reportedly left her Ikeja office for the house of her lover, Ihuoma Amelogu, on January 1, 2016 and her whereabouts have since been unknown.
The Accounting graduate from the University of Calabar (UNICAL), was working in the hospitality department of the airline before the unfortunate incident occurred.
Amelogu has since been arrested by officers attached to the Ojodu police division and a mobile phone with a handbag belonging to the victim were found in his apartment on the day Grace went missing.
In a rather unusual manner, however, the police officers were said to have released the loverboy after
confirming that there was nothing to connect him with the disappearance.
Felix Omini, who is a relation of the lady in question, said they became worried after her mother called one of her telephone lines and a stranger picked the call.
“Her mother called her that night and discovered that it was a stranger that picked the call. The stranger said the phone was missing and its owner had called him and said she was coming for it in company with a man.
“Grace’s mother called her boyfriend, Amelogu, thinking he was the man the stranger was referring to. But he said he had also been trying to reach her without success,” he explained, adding that he called 32-year-old Amelogu to follow him to the station where they reported the matter.
Obongha Utum, father of the missing lady, informed that the pair had been courting for three years and would have gotten married but for a problem with their blood compatibility.
He explained: “The police said we should talk to the boyfriend because that was where she said she was going, but I don’t know what to think. They are church members and were supposed to have been married; but that became impossible after they discovered their genotypes were not compatible.
“We have also gone to Agbado Crossing in Ogun State, where she lived with a friend. We didn’t meet anybody in the house; everywhere was deserted.”
Narrating his side to the report, Amelogu said: “We were together on December 31, 2015; she slept at my place. She sometimes stayed at my place because her office in Ikeja is closer to my house in Ojodu Berger. She rented an apartment in Agbado Crossing, Ogun State.
“Around 6am on January 1, she said she was going to the office. We always had a family reunion every New Year at my uncle’s place in Ajah, so we planned to meet there.
“I spoke with her around 12 noon. Then around 3pm, when I was at my uncle’s place, we communicated again and I asked if she was still coming. She said she was rounding off at the office and would soon join me.
“Her mother said she called her and a stranger picked it and said the phone was missing. I was surprised because she (Grace) didn’t call me that she had misplaced her phone.
“I decided to call the number myself, but it was unreachable. I kept calling till 2am, when it was switched off.”
Efforts by Utum’s family to track her calls through a telecommunication company met brick wall as they were asked to get a court order while her bank accounts were also said to have been blocked.
Confirming the incident, the Arik Air spokesperson, Adebanji Ola, stated that the company was working with the family and the police to get to the roots of the case.
“Yes, she works with us. She has not reported for duty for some time now and we were told she was missing. The family and the police have been here and we are doing everything possible to support investigations,” he explained.
SP Dolapo Badmos, the Lagos state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), confirmed the incident, saying, “Necessary police procedure to be done in the case of the missing person has been done. The boyfriend, who was actually the complainant, was arrested and investigated, but there was nothing to link him with Grace’s disappearance, hence his release. But investigation is ongoing.”
– Boyfriend claims stranger picked the call when her mother called
– Police arrest, release boyfriend as investigation continues
The Punch reports that Grace Utum, a worker with Arik Air, has gone missing after paying a visit to her lover in Ojodu Berger area of Lagos state.
Utum had reportedly left her Ikeja office for the house of her lover, Ihuoma Amelogu, on January 1, 2016 and her whereabouts have since been unknown.
The Accounting graduate from the University of Calabar (UNICAL), was working in the hospitality department of the airline before the unfortunate incident occurred.
In a rather unusual manner, however, the police officers were said to have released the loverboy after
confirming that there was nothing to connect him with the disappearance.
Felix Omini, who is a relation of the lady in question, said they became worried after her mother called one of her telephone lines and a stranger picked the call.
“Her mother called her that night and discovered that it was a stranger that picked the call. The stranger said the phone was missing and its owner had called him and said she was coming for it in company with a man.
“Grace’s mother called her boyfriend, Amelogu, thinking he was the man the stranger was referring to. But he said he had also been trying to reach her without success,” he explained, adding that he called 32-year-old Amelogu to follow him to the station where they reported the matter.
Obongha Utum, father of the missing lady, informed that the pair had been courting for three years and would have gotten married but for a problem with their blood compatibility.
He explained: “The police said we should talk to the boyfriend because that was where she said she was going, but I don’t know what to think. They are church members and were supposed to have been married; but that became impossible after they discovered their genotypes were not compatible.
“We have also gone to Agbado Crossing in Ogun State, where she lived with a friend. We didn’t meet anybody in the house; everywhere was deserted.”
Narrating his side to the report, Amelogu said: “We were together on December 31, 2015; she slept at my place. She sometimes stayed at my place because her office in Ikeja is closer to my house in Ojodu Berger. She rented an apartment in Agbado Crossing, Ogun State.
“Around 6am on January 1, she said she was going to the office. We always had a family reunion every New Year at my uncle’s place in Ajah, so we planned to meet there.
“I spoke with her around 12 noon. Then around 3pm, when I was at my uncle’s place, we communicated again and I asked if she was still coming. She said she was rounding off at the office and would soon join me.
“Her mother said she called her and a stranger picked it and said the phone was missing. I was surprised because she (Grace) didn’t call me that she had misplaced her phone.
“I decided to call the number myself, but it was unreachable. I kept calling till 2am, when it was switched off.”
Efforts by Utum’s family to track her calls through a telecommunication company met brick wall as they were asked to get a court order while her bank accounts were also said to have been blocked.
Confirming the incident, the Arik Air spokesperson, Adebanji Ola, stated that the company was working with the family and the police to get to the roots of the case.
“Yes, she works with us. She has not reported for duty for some time now and we were told she was missing. The family and the police have been here and we are doing everything possible to support investigations,” he explained.
SP Dolapo Badmos, the Lagos state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), confirmed the incident, saying, “Necessary police procedure to be done in the case of the missing person has been done. The boyfriend, who was actually the complainant, was arrested and investigated, but there was nothing to link him with Grace’s disappearance, hence his release. But investigation is ongoing.”
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