Twenty-nine-year-old Chinonso Emmanuel Onyibe was released from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) after three years of incarceration. During his disappearance, none of his relatives knew where he was or why he was held. In this interview, Felicia Onyibe, his mother, speaks with FIJ about how she dealt with the trauma of her son’s disappearance and the joy of his return.

What is your name, and who are you to the recently released Chinonso?

My name is Onyibe Felicia, and Chinonso is my son.

At what point did you start looking for Chinonso?

I started looking for him on July 26, 2021. I received a call that he was arrested in Lokoja while returning from Nnamdi Kanu’s trial. It was a friend of mine who called to tell me. The person who called me saw it online.

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Did you take any steps to know his whereabouts?

Yes, I did many things. I went to churches to seek pastors and reverend fathers. They told me he was still alive, but I did not believe it. I was just praying to God and crying day and night to know if he would return home.

Nobody was telling me anything, so I didn’t exactly know where to look. I had no idea where they kept him or anything. It was very serious because I had to go to the hospital now and then due to depression. My blood pressure was high, and I had to constantly take drips. I really suffered while he was away. I even had an accident while thinking about my son. I never knew he would make it out alive. I never expected it. I cried bitterly during those periods. Chinonso is my second child, but the only son I have.

Did you go to the police station or try to go to Lokoja while looking for him?

No, I didn’t, because I did not know where to start.

When Chinonso was to return home, did you know about it?

I didn’t know he was coming back until June 21, when my phone rang and I answered the call, only to discover it was his voice. He said he had been released and was coming back home. That was how I knew about his release. I was shocked to hear his voice because I never knew he was still alive. I called him back to find out whether he was really Chinonso or not. I was very happy and super excited about his return. I’m grateful to God for bringing him back.

Can you describe what happened to you while he was away?

I endured a lot of difficulties and trauma. There was a day I was thinking about him and I told myself that when I got home, I would find Chinonso there. I didn’t know there was a gutter in front of me; I fell inside it, hit my head on a stone and spent two months in the hospital. There, I was administered about 20 bags of drips. I am only grateful to God that despite all that happened, he returned home. When he came back, I didn’t even recognise him; his face and everything about him had changed. Even his voice. There was no blood in his body. I could barely recognise my own son. He was close to death and there was no flesh on him anymore. He was just bones and a skeleton.

What about his Dad? How did he deal with his only son’s disappearance?

The first day he heard that his son was arrested, he fainted. He only returned to life by God’s grace.

There was also a day I returned home and my kitchen was so noisy. I didn’t know it was a rat; I thought Chinonso was dead and his spirit came to eat in the kitchen. I fainted and my children poured water on me before I could be revived.

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While looking for him, I borrowed money from different places, and till now, I have not cleared some of the debt. I am still owing people. I had to spend a lot of money buying candles for prayers and on transportation. I went to different places, even from here to Port Harcourt. Even his sisters cried bitterly, and they were just hoping he would return.

How do you feel about his return?

I feel very happy and excited. I am grateful to God that he has returned home.

This is the third of a four-part interview series. Read the first and second here.