Imo family declares son missing after End SARS killings.

A distressed family from Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State has raised an alarm over her alleged missing son who has not been seen after the End SARS protests that rocked Nigeria in October 2020. The man in question simply known as Mr. Ugo Destine who was said to have actively participated during the End SARS protests in Lagos, precisely at Lekki Tollgate has not been seen by his family after the tragic nationwide protests.

Speaking to Umuaka Times correspondents on the whereabouts of Mr Ugo Destine, a family member who gave his name as B.C. Mmeremikwu popularly known as Ome Udo (Peace Maker), disclosed that Destine was last seen on October 20, 2020 during the End SARS protests at Lekki Tollgate. Many lives were reportedly lost in the protests which attracted the condemnation of international human rights bodies and media organizations. In an emotionally laden voice, Mr Mmeremikwu confirmed to Umuaka Times that the family especially the parents and siblings of Ugo Destine have been undergoing mental torture over the disappearance of their son and brother respectively. “You see, the family is totally confused because we do not know if to mourn him or continue waiting for his return.”

Asked if there was any clue the family had come across concerning the whereabouts of Destine, Mmeremikwu admitted that there was a time that the family was informed to look for him at the prisons in Lagos and Owerri.

“We were told to look for him at Lagos prisons but we did not go due to logistics. As we were preparing to seek other options including searching mortuaries, we got a hint that some End SARS detainees were brought to Owerri Prisons and we started planning on the day to check if he was among those brought to the prisons but sadly enough, on Monday 5 April 2021, there was a heavy jailbreak in Owerri and all the prisoners and detainees at the facility escaped.”

From what Mmeremikwu told Umuaka Times, the missing young man, Ugo Destine was not at Lekki Tollgate as a protester but as a cameraman who went to the scene to film the activities of the protesters for a television documentary he was planning with his colleague named Toby Victor.

“Destine is a well brought up boy; he usually told me some of the things he was about doing just to seek my opinion and some pieces of advice. In fact, I was like his personal adviser on some certain issues. When he told me that he was taking part in the protests, I did not like the idea but he confided in me that he was going there to get some video clips for a documentary.”

On the way forward, Mmeremikwu expressed deep optimism and confidence that as a Christian he is, he sincerely believes that one day, Ugo Destine will arrive home safely.

B.C. Mmeremikwu used the opportunity to call on Nigerians to come to their rescue and provide information on the whereabouts of their missing son.

The aftermath of End SARS protests may perhaps take many more years for Nigerians to fully comprehend; many families across the country are still in search of their beloved ones. There are speculations in town that some other End SARS victims were given secret mass burial while others may have escaped from the country to nearby African countries and beyond.

Ugo Destine who hails from Imo State is chocolate in complexion, he speaks English, French, Igbo and a little Yoruba and he is of average height.