A photograph on the wall of the Emeribe family home in Festac Town tells a story of hope—Mrs. Chinwe Emeribe in her University of Lagos graduation gown, smiling with quiet pride. Today, that smile hangs in the air as a painful question, since she was kidnapped on November 9, 2025, along with five colleagues—teachers and Assistant Directors of the Ministry of Defence attached to Command Secondary School, Ojo.

The Emeribes are not alone. Across Festac Town, Mr. Chibuikem Onwuzurike lives in the same torment. His wife, Mrs. Juliana Onyekachi Onwuzurike, was abducted alongside Mrs. Emeribe and four other women.

False Reports of Release

In the days following the abduction, media reports claimed all six women had been released—but the husbands describe these reports as cruelly false.

“When I confirmed the news, it was worse than uncertainty itself,” said Mr. Onwuzurike. “Four women were released, yes, but my wife Juliana is still in captivity.”

Last Contact

For Mr. Nnamdi Emeribe, Chinwe’s husband, the last conversation with his wife haunts him. He recounted how he saw her off at the bus terminal, called to remind her to take her medication, and tracked her journey—only to later learn she had been kidnapped in Kabba, Kogi State.

“She called me faintly from the kidnappers, who initially demanded N100 million ransom, later increased to N150 million, then reduced to N60 million to cover all passengers,” he said.

Children Left in Fear

The uncertainty has weighed heavily on their children. “Our twins turned nine recently. It should have been a joyful day, but they kept asking, ‘When will mummy come back?’ Each question felt like a knife through my heart,” Emeribe said.

Ransom Paid, Wives Still Missing

Despite paying N60 million—packaged in six bags of N10 million each—the two women have not returned. Families also paid extra to cover other kidnapped passengers, including a minor and foreign nationals.

Mr. Emeribe recounted the helplessness: “We gave them everything asked, followed every instruction, yet our wives are still not back. There has been no support from the Ministry of Defence or the Army. We were entirely on our own.”

The Hopeless Wait

On the day of the expected return, families gathered at the transport park at Festac. When the bus arrived, hearts sank—only four of the six women were released. The remaining two, including Chinwe and Juliana, remain in captivity.

“There is a void of communication, a limbo of anxiety and despair,” said Emeribe. “We do not know if our loved ones will ever return.”