Punch
A 64-year-old retired civil servant in Rivers State, Rowland Monokpo, tells DENNIS NAKU he’s been suffering psychological and physical trauma since his two daughters, Maryanne and Scholastica, were kidnapped on the farm 12 years ago
Please briefly tell us about yourself?
My name is Rowland Monokpo. I am from Deeyor community in the Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State. I am 64 years old. I was a civil servant, but now retired. I retired in 2014. I was attached to the Braithwaite Memorial Hospital, now Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.
It was said that your two daughters were kidnapped. When and how did it happen?
On the 16th of May, 2009 I travelled with my wife to Akwa Ibom State to buy palm oil; my wife sells palm oil. My two daughters, Maryanne and Scholastica, were indoors when we left the house. But when I returned around 2pm, I didn’t see them. At first, I thought they went for a stroll. But about one hour later, I got a phone call from someone who told me that my two daughters had been taken away by some unknown persons. The person said they were on the farm working when the unknown persons came to take them away.
I was shocked. I started rushing down to the farm but on my way, I saw some of my village people trooping back to the village. They advised me to turn back and warned that if I dared to go further, those boys from Deken (a neigbouring village) would kill me. They said it was the Deken boys that took my two daughters away.
What did you do then?
I ran to the police station in Kpor, (headquarter of Gokana LGA) to report what had happened. The policemen asked me to bring N5,000, which I gave them. They said it was for fuel. They took the money and drove to Deken. But they came back about an hour later and said they didn’t see anybody. I then reported the matter to the Bori Police Division but no action was taken. I left and went to report at the Area Command, but still no action was taken. So I returned to my house. And that is how since 2009 – 12 years ago – I haven’t set eyes on my daughters, Maryanne and Scholastica, again.
How old were your daughters at the time the incident happened?
My first daughter, Maryanne, was 23 years old then, while her younger sister, Scholastica, was 19 years old then.
Were they students or working?
They were students; they were about to go into the university; they had taken the UTME (Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination) and were successful. Manyanne was to study Marketing at the University of Port Harcourt, while her sister was to study Law at the Rivers State University. They were intelligent girls. I still have their WASSCE results with me.
Was it on your instructions that they went to the farm on that day?
No. It was a Catholic sister that asked them to assist her on her farm. I am a Catholic. The Sister would to come to my house. She took them to the farm like friends or sisters. My daughters didn’t usually go to the farm. They didn’t even know the farm routes.
Was the Catholic Sister with them on the farm when the attackers came?
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