The Enugu State Police Command has rescued a 40-year-old Phillippino lady, Ms. Irene Torento Panas from a man she met on social media and who tricked her to Nigeria, then held her for six months.
But reprieve came the way of the lady, who was very ill at the time of her rescue, when operatives stormed the Neke-Uno Village in the Enugu East Local Government Area of the state, where she was held incommunicado..
The Phillippino’s rescue came six months after she arrived Nigeria from the Philippines in an apparent search for love.
Ms. Irene Torento Panas, an accountant, and a native of Manila, had arrived Nigeria on November 22, 2019, at the invitation of one Chukwudi Odo, 54, of Enugu Ezike in Igbo-Eze North LGA of Enugu State whom she met on Facebook on March 8, 2017.
A statement by the Force Public Relations Offier, Mr Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, said that the Phillippino’s visit was to originally last 10-days. But it turned out to be “a full case of abduction” as her host, Chukwudi Odo, who she had met on social media, refused to allow her return.
“She was held incommunicado by the suspect, Chukwudi Odo,” DCP Mba said.
But reprieve came for the Phillippino, who was critically ill for part of her captivity, was rescued by operatives attached to the Unity Police Division, Ibegwa Nike, Enugu State, led by the DPO, SP Siga Malgwi, following a tip-off from some members of the public.
“She was immediately taken to the hospital for medical attention where she was admitted from 5th June to 16th June,”Mba further disclosed. “Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect, Chukwudi Odo, deliberately lured the victim into the country with the aim of confining her, sexually abusing her, and extorting money from her.”
While applauding his men for the lady’s rescue, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, advised Nigerians to be more cautious while using the social media as criminals have infested the cyber space.
The IGP also warned against any abuse of the cyberspace, noting that such criminal acts will not go undetected and unpunished by the Force.
In the time being. the Force has contacted the Embassy of the Philippines in Nigeria in its bid to reunite the traumatised lady with her family.