Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Rigim

The sad tale of a Dubai-based Nigerian family – comprising the mother, three children and a cousin – declared missing since last week after departing Lagos for a trip to Asaba got even more tragic as it emerged late Friday that three of its members died after their car plunged into a river. The unfortunate incident which reportedly occurred a few metres from Okada, Edo State, also took the life of the driver of the vehicle. The three children miraculously survived and have re-united with their father.

The sudden disappearance of the family had greatly distressed the father, Ugochukwu Onyeocha, who reported the incident to the police. By Godwin Ifijeh

Mr. Onyeocha, who spoke to THISDAY from Benin on the phone could barely utter any word, saying: ”we have found them in Benin, the vehicle plunged into a river at Okada, the children are alive, I can’t tell you anything more. I will talk to you tomorrow.”

Mrs. Onyeocha, her two children and cousin, had traveled in a hired Toyota Camry car with registration No. KU 108 EKY, driven by one Mr. Godfry Emmanuel Inalegwu on January 26, 2 010, to Asaba, the Delta State Capital, to meet her mother’s request to see the children.

The family, who are based in Dubai, where Mr. Onyeocha is a mortgage manager and the late Mrs. Onyeocha, a staff of Standard Chartered Bank, had arrived the country on January 13, on holidays.