Cynthia was first reported missing a few weeks ago by her family members and soon after the news spread to the internet and social media and became viral just a few days ago. She had been missing since late July.

Today we have learned that Cynthia Udoka Osokogu is officially dead. Her body was found in a morgue in Lagos.
Of course with strange disappearances like this there is bound to be numerous speculations and all sorts of gist. We’ve heard stories of aristo gone wrong, ritual killing, bad business deal, but all this is speculation as only Cynthia and her murderers know the real story of what happened.

However the most concrete story we have been able to get is that Cynthia did leave for Lagos from Abuja in late July and was supposed to link up with some friends. Sources say these are friends she knew via facebook. Now before you judge remember how we all meet people via facebook, BBM, twitter and the likes (either through mutual friends or groups and message boards).

There are stories that they paid for her flight and hotel in festac but nothing is really confirmed. The friends picked her up, and robbed her of all her money and belongings and then strangled her.

The murderers were caught when they answered Cynthia’s phone which they had taken from her and the call was traced to festac, and enabled the police and family to find her body in the morgue which also led them to the hotel.

Other reports are, police investigations suggest that Osukogwu was robbed and killed in the hotel she lodged in by the same people she was in lagos to see.” Policemen had interrogated some employees of the hotel and had arrested some suspects after the hotel management presented CCTV footage of the culprits while entering her room.

The culprits were said to be the same people who actually paid for her flight ticket to Lagos.

They were identified as university students and confessed to killing 5 others in a similar pattern.

Now even though the story is very scary, and a lot of questions will never be answered, it’s important to note that this 1. Happens a lot and goes unreported, 2. It can really happen to anyone, and we all have to be a bit careful when it comes to meeting people online.

It’s a very sad ending to such a young life, but hopefully we can all take some lessons from it.

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Written By Aishatu Ene Ella

In the last few days I have seen had my heart torn, stripped and broken in pieces first by the disappearance and death of my Dearest friend and secondly by the wickedness exhibited by Nigerians, passing judgment on someone they never knew or met.

When She was officially declared missing, we put up a number online so people with information can call and help out, off over 500 calls we received in 3 days, only 2 of those calls were from people who actually helped with information, One was my Dear friend Nuhu Kwajafa, The other was the Area Commander who called to inform us of the arrest of the people.

The others were heartbreaking to say this least, I wondered how her mother would have coped if she had to deal with silliness, pettiness and undeserved hate from strangers, who just took one look at a lady and decided to judge her based on her looks.

When The sad news of her death broke, I made a comment and said I hope ” all those who have insisted she was with a man would have their answer now and let her rest in peace” how wrong I was, They wouldn’t rest, they would only go back and manufacture a more hurtful and painful story, formulate more rumors and pass it around as facts, hmmm it is well. I have no comments for hateful people, I just want to share with you the real Cynthia, and the Cynthia we knew not the one who hateful people have created in the last few days.

Cynthia was born on 10th of November 1987 to Gen Frank and Joy- Rita Nkem Osokogu, Udoka as her Mother named her, even as a baby was a uniting factor in her family. Her Mother had 3 boys before her; she was the last baby and only girl.

Her Parents had settled in Jos where we were and still neighbors, We became friends because in those days there were only few houses in the area. I was the last child and so didn’t have a lot of playmates my age, her brothers were my mates and Cynthia as the only girl didn’t have much friends around the neighborhood either so she tagged along when we had our “adventures” and “yawo”.

Cynthia the Model and Business Woman
2004 was one of the hardest years for the Family I was raised with in Jos, Cynthia and her Mom was with me all the way. They were there to comfort, assist, cook etc.

She was a tall beautiful and slender girl, we always teased her because even at 13 she was taller than me and the same height with her brothers, she was a tomboy all the way. Determined, stubborn and focused. As she grew into her height Her Mum and I playful suggest she try modeling because of her structure, Cynthia took it seriously, even though her major focus was education she gave modeling a trial and did quiet well as a model. In 2007, she got her first major run way job and I will never forget the day she called me from Lagos after she had been paid, she said she wouldn’t want to waste the money and would buy clothes and bring to school to sell. The first badge of clothes never made it to keffi as industrious Cynthia who staying with her brother during her visit at Air force Quarters sold the clothes to her brother, his colleagues and their friends, she told me she made 3 times her capital and immediately re-invested, bought more stock, came to Keffi and rented a shop, that was the birth of her Baby: “Dresscode”.

I remember I bought her the forms to one of the national competitions some years ago, she passed the screening passed 2 stages and called me one day to say she was asked to compromise to get through the next round, I told her to withdraw and she left. That was in 2011S. She never entered any major pageant after that
When it came to business Cynthia was midas, she knew when to make a great sale, she was never at a loss, her business grew from strength to strength all this while she was not even 21, @ 21 a lot of the people who now make it a point to formulate such hateful rumors were still struggling to buy Jamb Results.

Cynthia the Sister and Daughter:
Cynthia was like the baby sister I didnt have, She was my confidant, stylist and a great comfort. We shared a lot, tears, smiles, laughs, joys ,sorrows and was always at my service. She was greatly involved in charity, anytime I sent a text or posted a picture of someone needing medical support, I could count on Cynthia as one of the first respondents.  When she was in Abuja, she would always come and volunteer, run errands, always with a smile. When I get to Jos, she will be at the motor park waiting, Thats if she doesnt pick me up from Abuja. Not to forget my person Stylist, she either bought or chose most of my clothes, most times my friend say “you look nice” i tell them “ask Cynthia oh, I have no idea what I am wearing”. Style has never been a strong point of mine, but if Cynthia bought it or asked me to buy it I knew it was good and stylish
To her Mother, Cynthia was her heart. Several times i will ask Cynthia please dont go to Jos it is volatile and she will reply me ” Mumsy is alone at home”, or when she is in Jos and there was a fight I would call and ask her to leave Jos and come and stay a few days with me, she will say “I cant leave Mumsy alone here now” . That was our Cynthia, Others first.

When it was time to serve, while others would work their service to areas full of opportunity like Abuja, Lagos and Porthacort, Cynthia worked her service to crisis ridden Jos to be close to her Mother, Is that what a “runs girl” does?

At age 24, Cynthia had a successful business, and was running a Post Graduate Program in Public Administration, sadly people will ignore all that and choose to believe that because she is pretty and Young she must be a “Runsgirl”, how sad, we Judge people by our own low and shabby standards.

She earned every kobo she had by good old hard work, Lets even forget her Father supported her financially but that didn’t turn her to a spoilt brat she was as determined as ever to make her own mark and earn her own keep.

The world and people who have no standards can stand afar and Judge all they want but we know who you are and we love you, we don’t need to defend You My baby, just setting the records straight.

The security Situation in our country now is horrible at best, people are kidnapped, robbed and killed everyday, why is it so hard to believe that a young girl was killed while going to pursue her legitimate business? If It was a man who was killed would we have come up with all these stories? If it was an older woman or someone not so attractive would we still? Her crime is being, young, pretty and a business woman. Hmmm, People, Have the decency to let us mourn in peace, please!
Aishatu Ene Ella

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