Another Nigerian disappears in Cyprus after placing distress call to his mom
Neighbours say he was arrested for assaulting girlfriend
A 28-year-old Nigerian student, Abdulsamad Abubakar, has been reported missing in Northern Cyprus.
AbdulSamad, the only child of his mother, is a 300-Level International Relations student of Cyprus Science University (CSU) living off campus.
He called his mother with a strange number and wailed that “they have come to take me to detention camp” before becoming incommunicado.
Mrs Dije Ibraheem, mother of the missing Abdulsamad, on Friday, cried to NIDCOM management for help.
She said since that call on 2nd of August, 2022 from an unknown number with her son wailing and asking for help, she has not known his whereabouts or heard any news from him or the school authorities.
Confused on what to do, she reached out to the agent who secured the admission and travelling documents for her son but he was not forthcoming too.
“I was advised to write a petition to the Consular and Legal Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which I did before someone hinted to me that Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa advised Nigerians to be wary of Northern Cyprus, hence reaching out to her to help me out,” she said.
“So am here today at NIDCOM to beg you in the name of God to help me bring back my son alive, as am scared of hearing any bad news about my only child. Please help me, I am a single mother. He is my only child. I haven’t slept well nor fed well since August 2nd when I last spoke with him.”
Receiving the petition on behalf of NIDCOM boss, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Secretary of the Commission, Dr Sule Bassi assured the distraught mother that everything possible would be done to help locate her son and bring him back to the country.
He however stressed that it would not be easy because diplomatic services were difficult as a result of Nigeria and the UN not having diplomatic relations with Northern Cyprus.
“Here at NIDCOM, we are concerned about the welfare of Nigerians abroad as well as encouraging them to invest back home for national development.”
Bassi, who pleaded with Ms Ibraheem to take care of her health, reassured her that further investigation will be carried out by the Commission in conjunction with the Nigeria Embassy in Ankara, Turkey
He reiterated the earlier warning by the Commission to parents to be wary of sending their children to Northern Cyprus to study due to the negative reports coming out of the location, especially from students.
Interestingly, the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Nigeria, Hidayet BAYRAKTAR, had on Thursday described the advisory by the Commission as exaggerated before the Commission gave out a list of Nigerians murdered in Northern Cyprus within three years.
Update just reaching Microsecondnews indicates that Samad is actually with the police.
According to CyprusNews247, “Samad was arrested for assaulting his girlfriend about a month ago.
According to neighbours’ statements, Samad and his girlfriend always argue and fight at their residence, which prompts the police to regularly visit their home.
At the last visit of the police, Samad reportedly resisted the officers, which led them to arrest him. According to a neighbour’s statement, he was arguing with an officer on that day he called his mom. Resisting arrest is a criminal offence. His landlord revealed that after his arrest, he’ll be deported back to Nigeria adding that he’s fine and nothing is wrong with him.”
