Just In: Family of retired soldier in grieve over his whereabouts after his abduction by military men

The Eriamiatoe family of Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State are  grieving on the abduction of their son, Sgt. Festus Eriamiatoe(rtd), by military men in the early hours of Wednesday, August 6th between the hours of 2.30 and 3.00am.

Information gathered from some members of the family is that the military men, fully kitted, armed and clad in uniform, stormed the residence of Sgt. Eriamiatoe situated in Uyigue Street Off Afuwa, Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City, at the unholy hour purportedly on the orders of a superior officer(name withheld) to bundle him to their barracks at 4th Brigade Headquarters, Benin City.

They were said to have come in three hilux vehicles to carry out the assignment. They were said to have warned the neighbours of the retired military man who sought to intervene to keep off.  Throughout the duration of the exercise the military men never told Sgt. Eriamiatoe the reason for their action or who sent them. 

Those at home with Sgt. Eriamiatoe that day who witnessed the scary occurrence included his heavily pregnant wife, his son and daughter. 

Around 7.00am that morning(Wednesday), Mr. Sunday Eriamiatoe, the father of Festus, accompanied by Festus’ wife went to Ugbekun Police Station, to incident the matter. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) adviced them to visit the 4th Brigade to lay their complain. 

Their effort to incident the matter at the AIG Zone 5 Office was unsuccessful as they were directed to the Ugbekun Police Station who they were told would later transfer it to the AIG Zone 5.

A member of the family, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “My brother (Festus) voluntarily retired from the Nigeria Army after over 18 years of meritorious service. He left the Army on his return from four years participation in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency. He last served at 81 Division of the Nigeria Army in Dodan Barracks, Obalende, Ikoyi, Lagos. 

“He sneaked a message to us telling us that he’s in the custody of the military in the 4th Brigade Headquarters. He retired from the Army with a very clean record. So his recent harrasment by the Army is confusing. He is now working as a farmer with Marvis Company, a company that is into agriculture.”

With the confusion surrounding his whereabouts the Eriamiatoe family are calling on the security agencies, especially the military authorities, to come clean on what they know about the whereabout of Sgt. Festus. 

Responding to enquiries in a telephone chat, Captain Chinonso Oteh, the Army Public Relations Officer(APRO) of the 4th Brigade, said he’s not aware of anything regarding the issue as he has been out of Benin for some time to attend a course in Kaduna State.