Globacom Blamed for Negligence After Engineer’s Kidnapping

Olaoluwa Adetona is the kind of man whose presence is hard to ignore. Warm, intelligent, and passionate about both his work and the world around him, the engineer cuts across professional boundaries with ease—at home among tech minds and thinkers in the arts and humanities alike. A lover of deep conversations, especially around national affairs and biblical wisdom, Olaoluwa’s defining trait is his dedication to his job.

That same dedication would prove costly.

On May 6, 2025, Olaoluwa set out on an official assignment to a mast site in Umuaka village, Orlu, Imo State, under the employ of telecom giant Globacom. With a critical staff member absent, Olaoluwa volunteered to drive two expatriates and the technical head of Globacom’s Owerri office to the site. The team was leaving the location when gunfire erupted.

According to reports, the other three occupants fled as the vehicle swerved into a ditch. Olaoluwa, however, was captured by the assailants—suspected to be members of the outlawed IPOB—and taken away.

That marked the beginning of his family’s unending agony.

Since his abduction, Olaoluwa’s wife, Mrs. Funmi Adetona, says there has been a disturbing silence from his employer, Globacom. No formal communication. No support. Just a void.

Frustrated by the inaction, the family has taken legal steps. On July 29, 2025, their solicitor, Mr. Akindele Orimolade, petitioned the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Chairman/CEO of Globacom, Chief Mike Adenuga, demanding an urgent investigation and intervention.

The petition, titled “PETITION ON THE KIDNAP AND CONTINUED DETENTION OF MR. OLAOLUWA ADETONA AND ALLEGED NEGLECT BY HIS EMPLOYER, GLOBACOM LIMITED”, paints a picture of bureaucratic silence and corporate apathy.

According to the letter, Olaoluwa’s phone was first answered by an unfamiliar voice on the evening of May 6, a man who rudely dismissed his wife and refused further contact. Her inquiries with his landlord and colleagues confirmed her worst fears—Olaoluwa had been kidnapped.

More disturbing is the series of ransom payments allegedly made by his colleagues without informing the family or security agencies. The petition outlines at least ₦4 million paid to accounts linked to the abductors, including an Opay account bearing the name of a Globacom staff member. These payments, however, failed to secure Olaoluwa’s release.

Worse still, there was no official report made to the Nigeria Police Force or the Imo State Anti-Kidnapping Unit by Globacom at the time. It wasn’t until July 13—over two months after the kidnapping—that Mrs. Adetona received her first formal contact from the company, vaguely referencing DSS involvement.

The family’s lawyer called this conduct “gross negligence,” noting that it fell far below the duty of care expected from a company of Globacom’s stature. He also demanded an immediate probe into the company’s actions, or lack thereof, suggesting possible internal concealment or complicity.

The petition further requested:

A full-scale investigation into the kidnap and any role Globacom staff may have played in obstructing justice;

Deployment of tactical units like the IRT and Anti-Kidnapping Squad to secure Olaoluwa’s safe return;

Forensic tracing of ransom-linked Opay accounts;

Sanctions against any individuals found to have frustrated rescue efforts.

Mrs. Adetona’s voice echoes the family’s pain: “The silence and lack of support from his company, coupled with insufficient action from security agencies, have left me devastated and hopeless.”

As the days stretch into months, a family continues to wait for answers, hope, and the safe return of a man who simply showed up for work. The burden is now on the authorities—and Olaoluwa’s employers—to act decisively before time runs out.