A 40yr old Philippino lady, Irene Torento Panas, invited to Nigeria by a man she met online has been rescued by Operatives of the Enugu State Police Command at Neke-Uno Village, Enugu East LGA, Enugu State.
The Philippino was rescued six months after she arrived in Nigeria from the Philippines in an apparent but unsuccessful search for love.
Irene Torento Panas, an Accountant by profession and a native of Manila in the Philippines, according to DCP Frank Mba, Force Public Relations Officer, arrived Nigeria on November 22, 2019, on a visit to one Chukwudi Odo ‘m’ 54yrs of Enugu Ezike in Igbo-Eze North LGA of Enugu State whom she met on Facebook on 8th March 2017.
He said the visit, which was originally intended to be for 10-days, however, turned out to be a full case of abduction following Chukwudi Odo’s refusal to allow her return to her country against her will. She was held incommunicado by the suspect, Chukwudi Odo.
The victim was critically ill at the time of rescue by police 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 in the area.
She was immediately taken to the hospital for medical attention and preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect, Chukwudi Odo, deliberately lured the victim into the country to confine her, sexually abuse, and extorting money from her.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, while enjoining members of the public to tread cautiously in their use of the social media, warns against any abuse of the cyberspace noting that such criminal acts will not go undetected and unpunished by the Force.
Meanwhile, the Force is already in contact with the Embassy of the Philippines in Nigeria to reunite the victim with members of her family.
