BY VINCENT UJUMADU, Awka
For the past three months, members of the family of Chief Fabian Umeh, a community leader and politician from Ezinifite in Nnewi South local government area of Anambra State have done everything humanly possible to locate his where about, but to no avail.

Umeh is the Secretary of the home branch of Ezinifite Town Union, ETU, Secretary of the works committee of ETU, Secretary of titled men in the town, as well as Secretary of Action Congress of Nigeria, CAN, in Nnewi South local government area.  He was also the campaign coordinator for the ACN House of Assembly candidate for the area in the April 2011 election.

Chief Fabian Umeh

As the first son of his parents, Chief Umeh stayed at home to manage his father’s business empire after his demise and that provided him an ample time to participate actively in political and community affairs in the area.

The community leader was whisked away at the Ebenato market area in the town by some people suspected to be kidnappers in July, 2011, where he was relaxing with some people. Eye witnesses said his abductors were bitter that he wasted their time so much as they had spent some days in the entire community looking for him. After shooting sporadically in the air, they bundled him into a waiting car and drove off through Lilu – Ezinifite road.

When information about his abduction spread in the community, able –bodied men in the area combed all the bushes and the neighboring communities of Lilu in Ihiala local government area and other towns in Orsu local government area of Imo State in search of Chief Fab, as he is popularly called, but could not trace his where about. They then waited for the kidnappers to reach the family for their ransom, but till date, they (kidnappers) have not named their ransom.

Rather, two days after the ugly incident, those suspected to be his abductors started calling some indigenes in Ezinifite with his mobile telephone which was with him at the time of his abduction.   When information reached leaders of the community about the development, they invited the police which promptly arrested those who were communicated with the mobile number.

President General of ETU, Mr. Ikechukwu Ifedinuru told Crime Alert that his people have become worried because, unlike most kidnap cases in which the abductors demand ransom shortly after kidnapping, no information has been heard in the case of Fabian.

Mr. Ifedinuru, who described Chief Umeh as an easy –going person said some people believe the abduction could be political because of the active role he played in the election of Mrs. Maduagwu as the member of House of Assembly for the area stating however, that others felt it could be ordinary kidnap incident.

Fabian’s mother, Mrs. Victoria Umeh who is in her 80s, lamented that her family has been in disarray since her first son got missing.  She said: “I have been praying hard for God to touch the hearts of those who kidnapped my son so that they can release him. He is the person taking care of the large family as his brothers are all residing outside the state.

“I don’t know why anybody should go after my son because he is a gentle person and a peace maker. God gave him the special gift of resolving matters and that is why everybody in our community is worried about his absence. If it is money they want, let them name it because the people of Ezinifite are prepared to do anything possible to ensure his release.”

His wife, Mrs. Ngozi Umeh said the entire family is in disarray and urged the police to assist in ensuring that her husband was released. “I never knew my life could suddenly be like this. For over three months, I have been waiting to see my husband return and you can imagine the way I feel,” she said.