BVN journey of no return:Man, 70, missing!

The sight of a woman in her mid 50s walking in the rain, on Tuesday , elicited  pity, anger and indifference from those who hid on the frontage of houses to avoid being drenched . Anger -because many concluded it was foolish for anyone to allow herself drenched by the heavy down pour. Pity- considering her age, while others concluded, she could be insane judging by her seeming unkempt looks.
Unable to contain her consternation, a woman shouted, ‘madam’ ,   beckoning on the woman in the rain to come and join them under the shelter.
Mrs. Banardette Opara, as later identified , was discovered not to be anything close to a mentally deranged person. Rather, her seeming state of confusion was caused by the disappearance of her  70-year-old husband, Mr Innocent Opara.
Like every other Nigerians who throng banks to meet up with Tuesday’s former deadline for the registration of the Bank Verification Number, BVN,  Opara  reportedly  left his  Ijegun, Imore  Satellite, Lagos home, on Monday, June 8, this year, for   the Burma Road, Apapa branch of the United Bank for Africa. But he has  not been seen since then.
His  wife, in this interview with Sunday Vanguard, broke down in tears as she prayed for the well-being of her husband of 30 years wherever he may be..
She said:   “Since he left for the bank on Burma Road,  Apapa, he has  not returned . Before leaving, he had his regular  hot bath and ate, after which I ensured  he took his routine drugs. He left the house with his inhaler because he is asthmatic. He has been asthmatic for about 25 years.
“When he did not return by 4 p.m, I wasn’t worried  because he said he was going to stop over at his  brother’s place  on Perewura Crescent, Apapa.  But I became worried when there was still no sign of him by  midnight. But I ruled out any danger and  concluded he could have decided to pass the night at his brother’s . I tried reaching him on the phone but discovered he left  it at home”.
“I became apprehensive the next day (Tuesday), when he did not come back, nor deemed it wise to call me on the phone. At that point, I decided to go and see his brother at Apapa where,  to my dismay, the cook told me my husband did not come there. But I insisted on seeing my brother-in-law to ascertain the claim. And when he came out of his bedroom,  he corroborated his cook’s claim. At that point, I became scared”.

Tension heightens
Tension, heightened at this point , following the assumption Opara could have been kidnapped. But that was ruled out , as there was reportedly no call to affirm  that.
Thereafter, Mrs Opara reportedly went to the bank , only to discover that her husband did not visit the place either.
Continuing , as she kept dabbing the tears that trickled down her cheeks with the loose end of her wrapper, she said: “ We contacted another relative to inform him. Later, I was advised to visit the bank. But on reaching there, I was told he was not there. The bank staff even checked his account to ascertain whether any transaction was made that day but discovered  there was none.
“The down pour of that day soaked me as I shuttled between Apapa and Satellite town in search of any clues that could lead to his recovery.
“He never complained of any pain or ill health when he left home that fateful day. We did not quarrel because we are not used to that. .
He really has asthma attacks. He has had the attacks for 25 years.  But in the last four yours, he had been carrying along a larger Inhaler recommended by his doctor.  He however has not had any attacks since then. So, the chances of him having an attack now were very slim.   We have gone through a lot together. We  are blessed with two children ages  12 and 7.

Children  express worry
“His disappearance, has  put everyone including, our children on the edge.  Our daughter, Chinazaekpere Opara, who is in Saint Christopher’s Convent School in Ogun State has been calling to speak with her daddy.  Since his disappearance we have not received any  telephone  call to suggest he could have been kidnapped”.
Search teams instituted by relatives have reportedly been combing Lagos for the missing bread winner .
The matter has also been reported at the Agboju police station, where search was said to have been extended  to other police stations, hospitals and  mortuaries in Lagos.
“ Our efforts have not yielded any positive result. I am, therefore, using this opportunity to beg Nigerians to be on the look out for my husband. He is  70 years old and we have been married for 30 years.  I am appealing to  Nigerians, security agents, people from all walks of life to please help us in this search.  Anyone who has information on my missing husband should report to the nearest police station or contact his brothers:  Oliver on  08037183733 or Eunan  on 08066173532”, the wife appealed.