Nigerian Army arrests pastor over missing undergraduate student in Rivers

Soldiers from the 6 Division, Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, have arrested a pastor with a new generation church in Eneka, Obio/Akpor local government area of Rivers State, Sodje Masodje, over the alleged disappearance of a 20-year-old undergraduate, Beauty Nwigbaranee.

Beauty, a final year student of Education at the Rivers State University, allegedly visited the pastor on Christmas Day and has not been seen since then.

The lawyer to the girl’s family, Gobari Deebom, who confirmed the incident to journalists in Port Harcourt on Monday, said it was a suspected case of abduction.

According to him, Beauty told some family members that she was going to visit the pastor but her parents became suspicious when he called a few days later to ask for her.

Deebom said: “It was a suspected case of abduction since December 25, 2020, when she visited a pastor, also suspected to be her boyfriend or man friend.

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“Since that December 25, the girl’s phone went off. The pastor called the family members of Beauty and asked for her whereabouts.

“They said Beauty told them that she was visiting him and that they have not seen her back home since then. The pastor said okay Beauty is coming to see them and that they should not disclose to her father that they have not seen Beauty.

“They kept to that not until after four days when they didn’t see her. The family members contacted the father who now reported to the Nigerian Army 6 Division, Port Harcourt. The pastor was arrested and now in their custody.”

However, the lawyer said he wants the police to take over the matter to pave the way for proper investigation.

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