Published 21st Dec, 2022

It has been 19 months since Nengi Ukpabi, a Lagos State resident, last saw Henry, her husband.

He and four others were abducted in Amangwu village, Abia State, on May 31, 2021, by suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nengi told FIJ.

She said Henry was in the village spending time with Ugba Kalu, his brother, when the suspected IPOB terrorists broke into Kalu’s house and razed it.

Henry, Emmanuel Kalu, Uma Mba and two others identified simply as Steve and Ezinne ran out of the house and were abducted by the arsonists.

“My husband was taken by the IPOB guys on May 31 last year. After they came to the house of the chief (Ugba Kalu), they set fire to it, but my husband and four others ran out for their lives,” Nengi told FIJ. “We haven’t heard from them since.”

Nengi said she was in Lagos at the time of the incident, and Kalu informed her of it. She said she asked if he had reported to the police but he rejected the idea of involving the police.

“Kalu said he did not want to involve the police or even tell their mother. He wanted to pay the ransom and recover my husband, but different people have been calling to say they have my husband since then,” She continued. “Kalu said he paid them when they called him but never heard from them again.”

“On Saturday, we held a family meeting and agreed to inform his mother, but nobody is agreeing to go to the police or the Igbo elders.”

Nengi told FIJ that Kalu’s residence was attacked days after he installed solar-powered streetlights in Ohafia village in Abia. She said she learnt IPOB members accused him of installing cameras to monitor their activities.

FIJ called Kalu on Tuesday morning for comments on the matter, but he did not respond to our calls. He also had not responded to FIJ’s text message at press time.

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