The family of a Customs officer serving in Kano State, Abubakar Maliki, has been thrown into panic after he reportedly went missing following his visit to Lagos to write a promotional exam.
Speaking with PUNCH Metro on Monday, Zeenat, the daughter of Maliki, disclosed that her father left Kano last Monday for Lagos to write a promotional exam and that she was in communication with him since he arrived till Wednesday which was his scheduled day for examination.
She narrated further that after speaking with him on the morning of Wednesday, her father informed her that he was about to enter the examination hall.
However, some hours after they last spoke, she called his telephone number three times but the number indicated busy which prompted her to assume that he was still in the examination hall.
She continued that she made efforts to reach his father on Thursday but all her efforts proved abortive as his line was switched off. This, she said, prompted her to alert her mother who also said she had not been able to reach him since Wednesday.
In her words, “I called his number thrice on Wednesday but the number was busy. I thought maybe he was still in the examination hall and hopefully when he came out, he would return my calls but I did not hear from him which was very unlike him.
“So, on Thursday, I tried to call him again but his number was switched off. I called my mum immediately and she also confirmed that she had not been able to reach him too, as his number was switched off. He has not returned home and he is not in Kano State. I have called those I know in Kano and they said he is also not at home.
One of his former colleagues from another state told us that they met in Lagos for the same examination. The family is seriously worried. He is all we got and we cannot afford to lose him.”
Speaking on the efforts made so far, Zeenat said she had gone to the Customs office in Sokoto and a report had also been made to the police in the state.
The Kano State Customs Public Relations Officer, Nura Abdullahi, confirmed the incident to our correspondent in a telephone conversation on Monday.
He added that the command had begun an investigation into the matter while urging the family to be in contact with the police.
“I was contacted by her daughter and we have since launched an investigation into the matter. We gathered that he was at the exam centre in Lagos but his whereabouts after the exams were yet to be known.
“I have also advised that the family formally contact the police too. We are doing everything to ensure we locate him,” Abdulahi said.
(PUNCH)