Page 12 - PPIAC Newsletter Mar-Apr 2022

Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado

CASE PREPARATION INVESTIGATING AN INTERNATIONAL MISSINGS PERSON CASE
AND RESEARCH
Continued from page 11
Navy, stating that after dedicating many personnel, hours, equipment,
etc. over the course of a month they found no evidence of Abiodun’s
whereabouts or condition, other than someone saw him go out on a
kayak on the morning of his disappearance, and that they assumed he
had drowned. As a single exhibit, the NNP provided a rudimentary map
that they’d created of the lake, which indicated where the hostel was,
where the kayak had been found, etc. However, the family was con-
cerned about the accuracy of the investigation, given the known corrup-
tion of the NNP, and decided to hire US-based investigators for a sec-
ond opinion (us). After the conclusion of this investigation, the NNP
was later listed as an OFAC-designated entity.

Research and Safety
Prior to traveling to Nicaragua, we conducted research on the current
political and safety climate of the country. We initially suspected the
possibility of human trafficking, but we had provisionally ruled out kid-
napping for ransom as no one had contacted the family. The main re-
sources we used to assess the situation in Nicaragua were:
• The CIA World Factbook

• The US State Department Nicaragua Travel Advisory and Country
Information Page
• The Overseas Advisory Council Nicaragua Country Security Report

Prior to traveling we also attempted to confirm whether it was safe to
do so, and what, if any, additional safety measures we should consider.
The retired FBI Special Agent knew a special agent at the FBI legat who
confirmed that it was generally safe to travel in Nicaragua as a tourist,
and that we should keep a low investigative profile. Based on this, and
by reviewing the above documents, as well as the US State Depart-
ment’s guidance on travel to high-risk areas and the FBI’s business
travel brochure, we decided that cartel violence, kidnapping, and gen-
eral crime risk was low, and to take the following safety precautions:

1. We notified the US State Department Embassy in Nicaragua of our
planned travel dates, our purpose for being there, where we would
be staying, etc. The State Department warned us that there was a
chance that the NNP would not like us conducting our investigation
and might arrest and/or deport us.
2. We enrolled in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program from the
State Department.

3. We ensured that our banks and cellphone service were updated so
that we could access our accounts and make calls, use the internet,

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The Informant March—April 2022 Issue