The police in Enugu State have rescued a 40-year-old lady from the Philippines, Irene Torento Panas, who was lured to Nigeria by a 54-year-old man named Chukwudi Odo.
The woman was rescued six months after arriving Nigeria from her country in an apparent but unsuccessful search for love.
Panas, an accountant by profession and a native of Manila in the Philippines, arrived Nigeria in November 22, 2019 on a visit to Odo in Enugu State whom she met on Facebook on March 8, 2017.
The visit, which was originally intended to be for 10 days however, turned out to be a full case of abduction following Odo’s refusal to allow her return to her country against her will.
She was held incommunicado by the suspect until police operatives attached to the Unity Police Division, Ibegwa Nike, Enugu State rescued her following a tip-off from some residents of the area.
She was immediately taken to the hospital for medical attention where she was admitted from June 5 to 16.
In a statement, spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force, Frank Mba, said, “Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect deliberately lured the victim into the country with the aim of confining her, sexually abusing and extorting money from her.
“The IGP 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 so as to reunite the victim with members of her family.”
Irene Torento Panas, an Accountant by profession and a native of Manila in the Philippines arrived Nigeria in 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.
— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) June 22, 2020
