USELU – THE Izevbihen family of Uselu in Egor local government area of Edo State, have raised alarm over the threat to life of one of its members, Mrs Victoria Orobo Izevbihen, by an Italian-based businessman, Mr Frank Omoruyi.

They say that last month, Mrs Victoria Orobo Izevbihen, a petty trader and mother of Izevbihen Joy, was accosted by fierce-looking thugs with a message from Mr Frank Omoruyi that they will soon burn down her provision shop.

Mr Abraham Izevbihen speaking to newsmen on behalf of the Izevbihen family said that Mrs Victoria Orobo Izevbihen has over the years faced intimidation and threats to her life by the same Mr Frank Omoruyi, over his claims that Izevbihen Joy, her daughter, defaulted in loan repayments to him.

He said that, “The most notorious of all these was on February 2018, when Mr Frank Omoruyi, in an attempt to get the whereabouts of Izevbihen Joy, so he can discuss how she can repay him, got his thugs to beat up Mrs Victoria Orobo Izevbihen, leaving her with a broken nose that required surgery”.

He said, “The truth is that after Mr Frank Omoruyi deceived Izevbihen Joy and her mother into signing to repay a loan of sixty thousand Euros for facilitating her trip to Italy with the promise of legitimate work. Izevbihen Joy agreed and even swore a voodoo oath of nondisclosure only to be forced into prostitution on arrival in Italy”.

“When Izevbihen Joy objected to working as a prostitute, Mr Frank Omoruyi threatened to harm her and her mother unless she continued to work and repay the loan. It was after she got married to Osaghae Osaretin and started a family and years later, unable to continue with the loan repayment, she fled with him, from Italy to Canada in 2012 to escape Mr Frank Omoruyi”

Mr Abraham Izevbihen, however, said that despite repeated reports to the Police, Mr Frank Omoruyi has continued to harass Mrs Victoria Orobo Izevbihen through his thugs, hence this appeal to the general public to be aware of their predicament.