A cleric, Prince Vincent Okah, narrates to AJIBADE OMAPE the circumstances that led to the abduction, rape and murder of his 19-year-old dau...
A cleric, Prince Vincent Okah, narrates to AJIBADE OMAPE the circumstances that led to the abduction, rape and murder of his 19-year-old daughter, Andrel Okah, a 300-level student of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, by kidnappers
Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you are related to Annie?
I am 52 years old. I’m from Isoko North Local Government Area in Delta State, specifically Iyede. I am a businessman. I was trained as a cadet before leaving the service. Today, I work as a businessman.
My brother and I are contractors to Dangote Fertiliser Limited and Dangote Refinery. I am the Project Director of Boldlink Field Oil and Gas Limited, as well as the Managing Director of Flowing Stream Integrated Services.
Andrel Eloho Okah, popularly known as Annie Vincent, is my daughter. She is a twin and just 19 years old. She and her brother are my first set of children. I am married to her mother, who is from Auchi in Edo State. We are from a royal family in the Iyede kingdom.
What can you remember about Annie’s personality?
My daughter was very calculative and industrious, prudent and very reserved. I told the IPO to find those who raped her because my daughter was a virgin until the day she was abducted. She always told me she would make me proud, and I believed her. I still believe in her, even in death.
When and how did you first discover that Annie was missing?
I was in church on Sunday, June 22, and I was the one who ministered and led prayers that day. Ironically, I asked people to pray because God had shown me a vision of children being kidnapped. We prayed against it.
After the service, my wife called to say she had heard something. She said Andrel’s twin brother called to say he hadn’t been able to reach her since June 20. Immediately, I went home and began my journey that same day from Lagos to Akure.
I arrived in Akure around 11 p.m. On Monday morning, I went to the police station in Akungba and reported the matter. The police began their investigation, and I also did my own investigation to assist them.
At some point, I was no longer comfortable with the way the Akungba Police Station was handling the case, so I transferred it to the police headquarters in Akure. The day I arrived there, the Commissioner of Police was assuming office. He attended to me immediately and ordered the Anti-Kidnapping Unit to unravel the mystery behind the case—and to the glory of God, they did.
When my daughter and John Abba were abducted from Akungba, they were taken to Ode, in Ekiti State. That was where they raped and murdered my daughter. Her body was left by the roadside and later discovered by farmers, who then alerted the police. The police in Ode deposited her corpse at the mortuary.
While investigations continued, her killers confessed that they took the other victim, John Abba, toward the Kogi State axis, where they allegedly shot him. I don’t know how true that is, but that was their statement, and the police are still searching for his body.
How did the police discover and apprehend the suspects?
God is fighting for us. The suspects sold John Abba’s phone to someone in Lagos. While the Anti-Kidnapping Unit from Akure was tracking the phone, they traced it to Lagos and arrested the buyer.
The buyer presented the receipt showing where he bought the phone, and the police traced it to the shop. The shop owner revealed who sold the phone to them—one of the suspects. That’s how they were arrested.
After their arrest, they confessed to the crime and took the Anti-Kidnapping Unit from Akure to Ode, Ekiti, where they had killed my daughter. Upon arrival in Ekiti, the Akure officers informed the Ode police of their mission. That’s when the Ode officers revealed they had found a body matching her description and deposited it at the mortuary.
The Akure team identified the corpse. When I was called to Akure, the police didn’t want to break the news to me at first. Eventually, they informed me, and I insisted on seeing the body myself before I could believe it. I travelled to Ode and confirmed that it was indeed my daughter’s body.
When was the last time you spoke with your daughter, and at what point could her twin brother no longer reach her?
The last conversation was on June 20, between 7 and 7:30 p.m. It was my wife who spoke with her. She even asked about the weather over there because it had been raining in Lagos. My daughter said she was fine and didn’t mention any problems.
There was hardly a day she and her mother didn’t speak. She didn’t express any discomfort. The only thing she mentioned was a phone issue, but she said it was still working and she was managing it.
Did your daughter reside on the school campus?
She was staying off-campus. She moved there last year. They were in another hostel before relocating to the current one. I don’t think she had any issues with her landlord or fellow tenants in the compound where she lived.
What do you think could have led to her abduction?
Honestly, I don’t want to call it fate or destiny, but I know that my daughter was a victim of circumstance. Whatever led her on that journey, I believe God must have permitted it.
You sent a statement alleging that a landlord conspired with the suspects. Was it your daughter’s landlord?
No, it wasn’t her landlord. It was John Abba’s landlord who planned the attack on him. Unfortunately, my daughter is no longer alive, and John Abba is missing, so we can’t know exactly how they met or where they were abducted from.
The only reason we know she was with John Abba is that her phone, charger, and power bank were found in his room during the police investigation. That was mysterious. We called on John Abba’s family, but they didn’t show up immediately. Eventually, his brother, mother, and some relatives came on a Thursday.
The police in Akungba called me to come identify my daughter’s phone. At that point, I became angry and accused them of conspiracy. That was when I transferred the case to the police headquarters in Akure.
Did you contact the school authorities when you discovered your daughter was missing?
Yes, immediately after I was informed, I went straight to the police station. My son had gone earlier, but the police didn’t attend to him, saying they had to wait 24 hours. Once I arrived, they began acting.
Afterwards, I went to the university. I initially tried to see the Vice Chancellor at the Senate building, but the school was on strike. Someone advised me to go to the Chief Security Officer (CSO), who is usually active even during strikes. I met the CSO and reported the matter to him.
What steps did the school take after learning of her abduction?
When the students found out, they also went to the police station to report. The school authorities contacted the DSS, who have an office in Akungba. The DSS is involved in the case as well. After I reported to the police, my son also contacted Amotekun in Akungba, and I did the same in Akure.
Were you ever contacted to pay a ransom?
Yes. A week after her abduction, I received calls from unknown persons. I asked to speak with my daughter, but they claimed she was unconscious. I didn’t want to seem uncooperative, so I negotiated with them. They initially demanded N300,000, and I sent N210,000 in total—N60,000 to one caller and N150,000 to another.
They wouldn’t let me speak to her but insisted I would see her if I paid. I kept the police informed, and they tracked the phone numbers. Several people were arrested, though I don’t know all of them. One man even approached my wife, asking for N100,000 for prayer. She declined, and that man was later arrested and is still in custody.
Did the account you paid into belong to any of the suspects in custody?
No. The name on the account was Mohamed Nuhu. I suspect the callers were working together. After their arrest, the calls stopped.
How has this ordeal affected your family—her twin brother, her mother, and you?
We’re a very close-knit family. It has hit us hard. But as I told them, when something happens, look at both the advantages and disadvantages—one will outweigh the other. We believe nothing happens without God’s involvement. If He says yes, it’s yes. If He says no, no prayer can change it.
Being Christians and knowing God’s word has helped us remain strong. We’re focused now on giving her a befitting burial and ensuring she’s at peace.
Now that the suspects are in custody, what do you want the authorities to do?
They must face the full wrath of the law, and the process must be made public. We want accelerated hearings, not cases adjourned every three months. I’ve asked the students to remain calm, but they are angry. We are demanding justice.
The suspects confessed, so justice should be swift. I will be writing to the governor. The house of John Abba’s landlord must be demolished because it’s clear that the money used to build it came from criminal activities. Justice must not be delayed or denied. We need voices to stand with us.
How did you feel when you saw your daughter’s body at the morgue?
At first, I didn’t believe it was her. But then I asked to see the clothes she was found in. When I saw the dress, I knew it was her. I took a closer look and confirmed her identity.
In my culture, a father is not supposed to identify his child’s corpse, but my faith overrides tradition. Traditions are man-made, and we can change them. I had peace because once the police confirmed they had found her, I knew they wouldn’t lie. I resolved to see her and ensure she was well cared for.
Was her body mutilated when you saw it?
No. I have the pictures. I was curious because I didn’t want anyone claiming she was used for rituals. Thank God the suspects confessed, and when the Commissioner of Police addressed the public, he confirmed that my daughter was a victim of circumstance.
They didn’t target her—they came for John Abba. Sadly, she was with him at the time. I believe she recognized one of the rapists, and that may have led to her death.
Did your daughter live in the same compound as John Abba?
No. John Abba lived about two kilometres away from my daughter.
How do you think her belongings ended up in his room?
That’s still a mystery. My daughter never went anywhere without informing someone. All her friends confirmed that. So for her to end up in his room without telling anyone is strange. I still don’t understand it.
What has been the financial implication of this incident?
It has been significant. While travelling and pursuing the case, many friends and relatives have asked for my account details and have been supporting me financially.
As I speak, I’m still raising money for her autopsy. After speaking with the doctor, he gave me the cost, and I started reaching out. Between yesterday and today, I’ve raised N280,000. Helping others is part of who I am, so I’m not surprised people are helping us now. I believe I’ll raise the full amount before the day ends.
Do you believe your daughter’s death could have been avoided with better security?
Yes, I do. If there had been proper checkpoints or patrols, any suspicious vehicle moving at odd hours would have been stopped. I know my daughter—she would have screamed if she saw police officers nearby.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
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