A woman has appealed for a renewed investigation into the disappearance of her husband, an offshore worker who reportedly went missing from a vessel operated by Sigma Oilfield in August 2024 after sending her a distress call.
The woman, who spoke about the incident, said her husband, an intercontinental chef in the catering section of the vessel, travelled to work on July 29, 2024, following a 45-minute helicopter journey from the airport to the offshore location.
According to her, her husband had worked with the company since 2011 and had been on the vessel for about a week when he contacted her through WhatsApp to report that he believed there was a gang-up against him.
She said he complained that some colleagues had been criticising the meals he prepared and told her he was being threatened.
“When he gave me the call, I told him not to quarrel with anyone; he should just calm down,” she said.
However, on August 6, 2024, the family was informed that he could no longer be found on the vessel.
She said his colleagues told the family that his phone and wallet had been found on his bed, but there was no sign of him.
“Since that day till date, my husband is nowhere to be found,” she said, adding that his phone and wallet were eventually returned to the family about a year after his disappearance.
The woman further alleged that three days after her husband went missing, a baker working on the vessel contacted her and requested the missing man’s phone password.
She said the request raised further concerns, particularly because her husband had allegedly mentioned being threatened by a senior member of the catering section identified as Campos.
The family subsequently made several efforts to establish what happened to the missing offshore worker, including petitions to the Inspector-General of Police, the vessel owner, the contractor under whom her husband was working and other relevant authorities.
According to the woman, petitions were also filed against the baker who requested the password and Campos, and the matter was eventually transferred to Port Harcourt for investigation.
She said the police invited those involved for questioning, but while Campos honoured the invitation, the vessel owner allegedly failed to appear.
The woman added that the baker, instead of appearing before the police, instituted legal action against her and the police, alleging that he was being embarrassed and that his freedom of movement was being restricted because he had been invited to explain why he requested the missing worker’s password.
The family also petitioned the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in 2024.
She said the commission conducted an investigation and questioned some individuals but made no arrests.
According to her, the investigation later appeared to stall, with the family being told that the company described her husband’s disappearance as “mysterious” and said it did not know what had happened to him.
“Till date, they haven’t said anything again,” she said.
More than two years after the disappearance, the woman and her family are still seeking answers about the whereabouts and circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the offshore worker.
The family is calling for the relevant authorities to revisit the case, establish what happened on the vessel, and determine whether anyone should be held accountable.
