Miss. Elizabeth Edoukumor.
Kelechi Uzor, a Bolt driver, has willingly surrendered himself to the police in Rivers State, seeking to demonstrate his “innocence” in the case of the missing woman, Miss Elizabeth Edoukumor.
It was gathered that Elizabeth went missing on October 9, 2023 after Uzor dropped her off at Harmony Estate in Obio-Akpor Local Government area of the state.
Her family posted a plea for information on Facebook, stating that she left her aunt’s place at Harmony Estate to return home but never made it home.
Elizabeth’s last known location was at Harmony Estate, and her phone became unreachable and switched off.
Uzor, accompanied by Prince Wiro, a human rights activist, visited the Okporo Police Station, Rumuodara, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, and denied any involvement in the lady’s disappearance.
During a conversation with reporters in Port Harcourt on Friday, October 28, Uzor clarified that his decision to reach out to the police was prompted by continuous calls and threats from the family of the missing woman.
He recounted that on October 9th, he had offered a ride to Elizabeth Edoukumor, taking her to Harmony Estate. Uzor mentioned that he parked outside the estate since entry required authorization. After Ms. Edoukumor obtained permission to enter the estate, he dropped her off, and she settled the fare in cash.
Uzor asserted that he diligently followed security procedures and underwent checks both when entering and exiting the estate. Following the drop-off, he began receiving inquiries from concerned individuals regarding the lady’s whereabouts.
He emphasized that he had solely provided transportation and was not privy to the content of her conversations.
The driver mentioned that he began receiving menacing messages and requests for meetings from various people, including an individual who identified himself as the young woman’s uncle.
The Bolt driver said: “On that 9th of October Elizabeth Edoukumor booked a ride at Eastern bye-pass. I took her to Harmony Estate at Eliozu. When I got to the Estate, I parked because you cannot enter the Estate without authorization of someone inside.
“So when the lady got the permission to enter, I entered the Estate, parked at the residence she was going to while she offloaded her bags because she came with some goods. She paid me in cash and I drove off.
“When I entered the Estate, I was checked by the security guards. When I was leaving, I was also checked, they checked everything in my car, and they gave me permission to leave the Estate.
“Later that night, a lady called me and was asking whether I picked her (Elizabeth) up from the
estate, I told the Lady what I did was to drop her at the Estate and leave the place.”
He further explained, “After that day, another man called asking me whether I heard anything – if she (Elizabeth) made any call that I could remember. I told him no, that I did not listen to her conversation, I was only taking her to the place she asked me to take her to.”
“So the next day,some other people called me, trying to lure me to a certain area, they will call me and say I should come and pick them at so, so and so place .”I said no, I cannot come and pick you, you have to book Bolt first before I can pick you, I cannot just come and pick you.”
“They have been calling. I now discovered that one of them is the supposed Uncle to the girl. After I refused to meet them, they are now telling me that I am the Bolt Driver who took Elizabeth to so and so place.I told them, yes, that I have explained to them, that I dropped the girl and left .
“So since then, I have been getting calls and threats, like the uncle threatened me that I should better bring the girl alive, that this one is bad market. He was making other threats. I have not also received any call from the Police to come.”
“I came to Police station to state my own side of the story, because the calls and threats are becoming too much. So, I came to find out why the parents of the girl are threatening me. I have no hand in the disappearance of the girl. So, I came to Police station to complain.”