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PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria - Ogunsinasi Oluwaseyi, the father of 12-year-old Oluwaseyi Favour, who was reportedly kidnapped by an inmate of the Enugu Correctional Centre, has condemned the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) for quickly dismissing his assertions without conducting a proper investigation.
Speaking to reporters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday , Oluwaseyi expressed his dissatisfaction with the rapid denial issued by NCoS spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, who he alleged dismissed the claim as unfounded without a comprehensive inquiry.
He stated that on December 4, 2024, he went to the Enugu Correctional Centre with four police officers from the Special Operations, Intelligence, and Tactical Unit from Mile 1 Division, Port Harcourt, to identify the suspect, one Chidiebere Chikezie, also known as Chi-boy.
According to him, the suspect, an inmate, was not in prison attire and was spotted wearing a wristwatch.
He also questioned how the inmate was able to access mobile phones and conduct video calls from within the correctional facility.
“To my utter astonishment, on April 20, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, Umar Abubakar, rapidly responded and refuted such a serious allegation, asserting that such an event never occurred,” he remarked.
Oluwaseyi went on to allege that Abubakar denied the existence of a person with the suspect’s name in the prison and claimed that he never visited the Enugu Correctional Centre, despite having proof, including photographs of the suspect.
“How can he refute such an allegation without a proper and thorough investigation into the Enugu Correctional Centre?” he questioned. The distressed father called for justice and the safe return of his daughter, especially as her birthday approaches on April 26.
He also urged authorities to look into the release of the suspect’s wife, whom he claimed was freed without due process after her arrest. “How can an inmate be making video calls regularly? I know because he made calls to his wife while she was in custody. Yet, she was released without a valid reason or a guarantor,” he added.
“I just want my daughter back. What would bring me joy is for Favour to be released, especially since her birthday is on Saturday. I want all those involved in this to face justice.”
In the meantime, the Rivers State Civil Society Organisation has demanded an immediate and thorough investigation into claims that the Enugu Correctional Facility was compromised, allowing a kidnap suspect to operate freely while incarcerated.
The group expressed concern over the NCoS’s hasty dismissal of the allegations without providing evidence. According to the group’s Chairman, Enefaa Georgewill, the NCoS’s response was “laughable and embarrassing.”
He insisted that the NCoS undertake an open and transparent investigation, publicly release the visitors’ register for December 4, 2024, and present concrete evidence to back up its denial.
The group also called upon the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to spearhead the investigation and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
