A domestic staff identified simply as Blessing has vanished into thin air with her employer’s valuables estimated to be worth N13.9 million.
Blessing worked for a week in the residential building located in the highbrow Victoria Island, Lagos before the incident.
Her employer, Pearl Ogbulu, said that the Cross River State indigene absconded with cash and jewellery.
Ogbulu said that an agent, Joshua Amaha, introduced Blessing to her and the househelp came to be interviewed for the first time at her residence when she was not around.
The employer said her parents took Blessing in.
She said that when she met Blessing the next day, she informed her that she would need to undergo a test and also register at a police station.
According to Ogbulu, plans were underway for the test and registration when Blessing stole her property and absconded.
“Her name could be an alias, but she identified herself as Blessing. She also mentioned that her name was Ihi, from Cross River State. She is 25 years old and has a one-year-old child. She started working with me around 8.30pm last Sunday.
“The agent told me she would come on Saturday for an interview, but I didn’t see her. Only for the agent to tell me she was already on her way that Sunday and when she didn’t arrive early, I went out. I returned around 1.30am and was about to go to work the next day when I interviewed her and told her about the test and registration.
“January 13 was my brother’s birthday and Blessing was standing on the third floor when I went into my room to bring out two envelopes containing N500,000 and N200,000. I gave my brother N50,000, and also gave him and my mother $100 each. I kept the remaining money inside my room,” Ogbulu said.
She said that she attended a party the following Sunday.
“When I returned from the party, I entered the compound and called my dad to open the door. But when he came down to open it, he said the door was not locked. My dad quickly searched Blessing’s room and said she had packed all her things and fled.
“The security guard said he didn’t see her leaving. I knew I locked my room, but I was surprised when I saw the door open. I went straight to where I kept my money and realised that the envelopes containing the naira notes were gone. She stole two wristwatches, one of which cost $5,500; my daughter’s earrings valued at $3300. She also took $5000, 300 pounds and N200,000. She took all my jewellery worth over $10,000,” Ogbulu said.
She said that the agent gave him Blessing’s brother’s number and her address in Ikorodu, adding that the number was unreachable and the address could not be located.
“I asked for Blessing’s brother’s number and address in Ikorodu and the agent said the place was in Ijede. He gave me her brother’s number, which did not go through, but Truecaller brought out a name, Elebe.
“We parked my vehicle at the NNPC Filling Station along Ijede Road and took a tricycle to scan the whole area looking for the address, but found no place like that. The tricycle operator charged me N7,500.
“I called the agent and he said he was not coming to help us. He said the same thing had happened before and that the madam arrested him and he suffered for days in police custody. I reported the case to the IRT and DSS,” she said.
The IRT boss, Tunji Disu said he had yet to be officially briefed on the matter.
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