The relatives of Mr. Elijah Bassey, a man with special needs, are urgently calling for public assistance in locating him after he went missing in the Ajuwon community of Ifo Local Government Area, Ogun State, in August 2024.

According to family members, Bassey vanished while his brother, Ekpo, was away buying food for him.

His son, Samuel, shared their efforts to find him, stating, "We have searched the entire community and reported the matter to the Zone 2 Police Command. My dad was dealing with mental health issues and had been taken from Ajuwon to our village in Akwa Ibom. A few weeks later, a family member went to bring him back. When he returned, our uncle, with whom he was staying, said he went out to buy food, but when he came back, our father was nowhere to be found. We have reported the matter to the police."

Bassey's daughter, Rebecca, also appealed to compassionate Nigerians for help in finding their father. "My father wasn't feeling well, so we were advised to take him to our village in Akwa Ibom for proper care. One of his brothers there assured us he would look after him. After a few days, a family member went to bring him back to Lagos. I live in Ilorin with my husband, but when I learned my father had returned to Lagos, I traveled there. Upon arrival, I was shocked to find out he had gone missing just days after his return. I am pleading with Nigerians to help us find him and report to the nearest police station if anyone has information."

Inspector Olanrewaju Isaac from the Zone 2 Police Command, who has been assisting the family in their search, emphasized the family's desire to ensure Bassey is safe. "No one has been implicated. The family wants to determine whether he is alive and find out his whereabouts. The case was initially reported at the Ajuwon Police Station before being escalated to Zone 2 for further investigation. Anyone with relevant information is encouraged to approach the nearest police station."