A Prolonged Nightmare in Imo State

For Funmi Adetona, every knock on the door and every unfamiliar phone call carries the same painful question: where is her husband? For more than a year, the 46-year-old mother has lived between hope and despair, waiting for the return of Olaoluwa Adetona, a 49-year-old roll-out manager with Globacom.

Olaoluwa reportedly disappeared while on an official assignment in Imo State and has not been seen or heard from since May 6, 2025. What began as an ordinary work trip has since become a prolonged nightmare for his wife, three children, and ageing parents, who have been left without answers regarding his whereabouts.

Tell me if he is dead!

— Funmi Adetona, Wife of Olaoluwa Adetona, Family Spokesperson

Speaking with journalists while appealing for help, Funmi said she decided to speak publicly after months of uncertainty and assurances that failed to produce her husband. She is now demanding closure and clarity from both his employers and the relevant security agencies.

The Mysterious Disappearance and Ransom Demands

According to Funmi, Olaoluwa travelled to Imo State for a site acquisition assignment, accompanied by two expatriates who had travelled from Lagos. The situation took a dark turn on the evening of May 6, 2025, when Funmi attempted to call her husband at approximately 9:00 pm. Instead of her husband, an unidentified person answered the phone.

The caller initially claimed they would hand the phone to Olaoluwa later, but when Funmi called back and insisted on speaking with him, the individual allegedly became abusive. It was subsequently disclosed to the family that Olaoluwa had been kidnapped, and the individuals in possession of his phone demanded N1 million before the wife could speak with him.

I called my husband around 9pm. They did not reach out to us from the office. Nobody contacted me until I called and started making inquiries.

— Funmi Adetona, Wife of Olaoluwa Adetona, Family Spokesperson

Funmi recalled being advised by her husband’s colleagues not to call the number again because the company was reportedly handling the situation. Despite assurances that ransom payments had been made and that her husband would be released within the week, the promised return never occurred.

Corporate Silence and Unanswered Questions

One of the most troubling aspects for the family is the fact that the two expatriates who were with Olaoluwa were released, while the Nigerian manager remained missing. Funmi travelled to Lagos to seek answers from Globacom officials, including the Head of the Roll-out Department and the company's Chief Security Officer, but she alleges that communication eventually stopped.

In Imo State, the police informed the family that a confrontational meeting involving Globacom officials was necessary to clarify the circumstances surrounding the disappearance. However, despite repeated visits and inquiries through November 2025, the family says they have not received a satisfactory explanation.

What is it that you are working on from May, June, July, August, September and November? At the end of the day, they couldn’t tell us anything. They kept saying they were working on it.

— Funmi Adetona, Wife of Olaoluwa Adetona, Family Spokesperson

The family has now engaged a lawyer who has written four letters to Globacom seeking clarification. One detail that continues to puzzle the family is that the company continued paying Olaoluwa's salary into his account as late as September 2025, despite his prolonged absence and the uncertainty of his status.

A Family Shattered by Uncertainty

The disappearance has had devastating consequences for the Adetona family beyond the immediate loss of a provider. Funmi disclosed that her father-in-law died on April 6, 2026, due to emotional distress over his son's disappearance. Meanwhile, Olaoluwa’s mother has become seriously ill and is currently unable to walk without assistance.

There is also the matter of the husband's vehicle, which was reportedly found after being shot at. Funmi remains skeptical of claims that he may have been killed during the incident, noting that the state of the vehicle did not suggest a violent struggle or fatality.

We saw the vehicle. There is no way somebody would be shot and there would not be a splash of blood in the vehicle. There was no drop of blood. How could you tell me he might have been shot?

— Funmi Adetona, Wife of Olaoluwa Adetona, Family Spokesperson

As the search reaches its 16th month, the family continues to ask for proof of life or death. Funmi’s appeal remains directed at Globacom and security agencies to produce her husband or provide a definitive account of what transpired during that official assignment in Imo State.