“Younger Brother, Chinedu Went Missing While Travelling from Lagos to Anambra” — Samuel Orlu Speaks on Family’s Ordeal

A Rivers State-based engineer and safety officer, Mr. Samuel Orlu, has shared the heartbreaking story of his younger brother, Chinedu Orlu, who has been missing for over two months after disappearing during a trip from Port Harcourt to Anambra State.

According to Samuel, 23-year-old Chinedu left their family home in Port Harcourt on July 18, 2025, to visit a friend in Anambra State, intending to spend just two days before returning. However, he never made it to his destination, and all efforts to reach him have since proved futile.

“He left home on July 18 to visit a friend named Emeka in Anambra. They had spoken earlier that morning, and Emeka was expecting him to arrive later that day  but Chinedu never showed up,” Samuel recounted.
“That evening, we tried calling him several times. The phone rang once and then went off. Since then, it has remained switched off.”

A report by Punch Newspaper on October 4, 2025, highlighted the family’s ordeal and their desperate search for answers. Samuel explained that although the report stated Chinedu went missing while travelling from Lagos to Anambra, his journey actually began in Port Harcourt, where he lived with his older brother.

Chinedu, described as dark-skinned, about five feet tall, and wearing dreadlocks, had recently finished secondary school and was learning computer skills to improve his prospects. While he had briefly stayed in Lagos for training, he mostly lived in Port Harcourt and was known to be quiet, reserved, and family-oriented.

“He didn’t have many friends or a girlfriend,” Samuel said. “He mostly talked to people through WhatsApp, so when he went missing, we didn’t have many people to ask for clues. Emeka was the only person we knew he was supposed to meet that day.”

After his disappearance, the Orlu family launched a wide search, contacting police stations in Rivers, Lagos, Edo, and Anambra States. However, Samuel described the police response as slow and discouraging, despite the family providing detailed information.

“The police collected his phone number and said they would track it, but nothing came of it,” he said. “We eventually paid MTN ₦80,000 ourselves to trace the phone. The results showed the last location where it was switched off and the numbers he called that day — but the police never followed up on that information.”

The family also reached out to transport companies operating along the Port Harcourt–Anambra route and even checked accident records to see if any incident had occurred, but no matches were found.

Frustrated and emotionally drained, Samuel says the family is now caught between fear and hope.

“We don’t know what to believe anymore,” he said. “There’s been no ransom demand, no communication, nothing. Sometimes I think he may have been detained somewhere by the police. Other times, I just pray he’s alive and will somehow reach out.”

As days turn into months, the Orlu family continues to appeal to the public for information that could help locate Chinedu. Samuel’s message to his missing brother is filled with emotion and longing:

“Chinedu, if you can hear this, please let us know you’re safe. We are still waiting and praying. Mum, your siblings everyone just wants to know you’re okay.”

Chinedu’s disappearance adds to the growing number of unresolved missing-person cases across Nigeria, highlighting once again the struggles families face in seeking justice and the limitations of current investigative follow-ups.

For the Orlu family, hope remains their only anchor the hope that one day, a call, a message, or a tip will finally lead them back to their missing son and brother.