Ben Dunno, Warri
The family of Mr Robert Alerubo, Jeremiah Alerubo and Trust Robert of Okuetolor community in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State have raised alarm over persistent threats to their lives by a former inlaw, one Precious Arhamerene, in spite of a restraining order against him.
Speaking from a hideout where he is currently taking refuge with members of his family, Mr Robert Alerubo urged the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to come to their rescue before they are hunted down by their ex-inlaw and his agents.
Alerubo, who resides in Effurun in Uvwie Council Area, recounted how his life and that of his family members had been made a living hell since February 5, alleging that Precious had earlier instigated his being arrested and detention at the Police Force Headquarters in Abuja on false allegations of the kidnapping of his grandson.
According to him, “this is the same son he had denied barely a month after delivery and insisted that my daughter, Eyonai, who got married to him in 2017 and gave birth the following year, should take my grandson to the real father.”
“We have printed copies of the SMS messages which read among others: ‘Take Kelvin to his father because I am not his father. The day you will call me to tell me anything concerning that baby, you know what I can do – I am not afraid of killing. I have people who will stand for me’.
“On returning from the Force Headquarters where I was made to appear before an Assistant Inspector-General of Police (IGP), he [Precious] finally decided to come and see the boy he had rejected and, of course, I allowed him access. He was very impressed that the child was doing well under my care.
“He was happy to the extent that he sent a Thank You message to that effect and further brought some wine and drinks to apologise openly, acknowledging his faults in the issue and tendered an unreserved apology which I equally accepted as a father.
“Surprisingly, on February 17, 2020, I was shocked to see another text messages from him, this time with a strong emphasis on killing his ex-wife, Eyonai, myself, my son, Trust Robert, and my younger brother, Jerry Alerubo, on that particular day.
“True to his threat, he came with two (2) Siena buses with police and thugs, stormed my workplace, home and the home of my son, Trust, and that of my younger brother, Jerry Alerubo, looking for all my family members to kill whosoever he comes across with in order to kidnap the little baby.
“Meanwhile, he had vowed to ignore the restraining court order barring him, his agents and privy from getting closer to any member of my family pending the determination of the substantive suit before the high court at Orerokpe, the headquarters of Okpe Local Government Area,” Mr Alerubo stated.
In a copy of the Enrolment Order from the High Court sitting at Orerokpe, dated February 21, 2020, signed by Mrs E A Ekee, an Assistant Director, the court had barred Precious Arhamerene, being referred to as the first respondent, his agents and privy from getting close to Robert Alerubo and his family pending the determination of the suit before it.
According to him; “since this court order was served on Precious and his family by the court bailiff, we have not rested, as he now combs everywhere with his army of thugs looking for me and any member of my family to either kill or harm in order to make good his threats.
“It is so sad and painful that this same Precious Akpesiri Arhamerene who hails from Degele-Elume in Sapele Local Government Area, who had since remarried another woman (a White lady) would still continue to terrorise my entire family with his thugs even after being served a restraining order by a competent court of jurisdiction.”
Describing the physical, mental and emotional trauma of being made fugitive as a result of Precious, Mr Alerubo said his family can no longer cope the torment they have being subjected to at the hands of his tormentor.
“Consequent upon this, I am calling on IGP Mohammed Adamu through the Delta State Police Commissioner, CP Hafiz Inusa, and other well-meaning Nigerians to come to our rescue as we are tired of running from the calamity Precious and his gang had vowed to inflict on us,” he stated.
Responding to the allegations of death threats in a telephones conversation with our correspondent, Precious Arhamerene, the man at the centre of the allegations, described the allegations as unfounded, insisting that no amount of falsehood would deter him from getting his son back from the Alerubo family.
According to him, “all those things the family of Alerubo told you concerning this matter are cooked up to justify their evil intent of taking my son away from me. But guess what? It does not bother me. Trust me, I won’t stop going after them until my son is returned to me because we had him when we were still legally married.”