Five Travelers Vanish in Anambra: Families Desperate for News

 

A desperate search is underway for five travelers who reportedly vanished after a stopover in Anambra State, sparking widespread concern and prompting a response from the Anambra State Police Command. The group, on their way from Lagos to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, for a wedding, suddenly became unreachable, leaving their families in agonizing suspense.

Human rights activist, Harrison Gwamnishu, brought the unsettling incident to public attention on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, sharing photos of the missing individuals: Aliu Idayat Opeyemi, Anifowose Promise, Femi Aniyeloye, Alex, and Femi. The group consisted of four male friends and the groom's sister, headed for a wedding scheduled for today, Friday, May 23rd.

According to family accounts shared by Gwamnishu, the travelers left Shimawa-Lagos on Tuesday. They made contact around 7:00 pm, confirming their arrival in Asaba and plans to eat. After an hour, they continued their journey, reaching Anambra, where they decided to spend the night in a hotel before proceeding the next morning.

"The last time we spoke with them was around 10:00pm yesterday (Tuesday) when we believed they were already tired and needed some little rest," the report read. The last known sign of activity was around 6:16 am on Wednesday, May 21st, when one of them updated his WhatsApp status to wish his wife a happy birthday. After that, silence.

Calls to all five phones went unanswered, eventually switching off. Around 10:30 am on Wednesday, one phone briefly rang before going off again. Families have already contacted the Anambra Police Command, but so far, there has been no news.

Reacting to the social media outcry, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, issued a statement today, Thursday, May 22nd, urging Gwamnishu and concerned individuals to provide useful information to aid police action. The Command also explicitly requested the families to formally report the incident at the Police Headquarters, as no such report had been filed at any division yet.

Under CP Ikioye Orutugu, the Command reiterated its commitment to enhancing safety and called on "Ndi Anambra" (Anambra people) to collaborate in fishing out criminals. They provided a contact number: 07039194332, and encouraged the use of the 'npf rescue me app'.

Our thoughts are with the families of these missing travelers during this incredibly difficult time. If you have any information, please reach out to the authorities immediately.