Kidnapped in Abia, rescued in Anambra

• Relief as security operatives rescue two of three Abia missing kids

 

 

From Okey Sampson, Umuahia

Rising cases of kids being declared missing in Umuahia, the Abia State capital is assuming a more dangerous dimension, and accusing fingers are being pointed at some commercial tricycle operators in the city.

 

 

At the last count, no fewer than 10 kids were said to have disappeared in the state capital under similar circumstances in less than one year. Although five of the kids have so far been rescued, another five are yet to be found.

On Monday, November 27, 2023, a commercial tricycle operator eloped with four kids of the same parents he was contracted to drop-off at their school.

 

The kids whose names were given as Mmesoma, Testimony, Godswill and Chinwotito, were said to be the children of one Mr. Chimobi Aghah, who hails from Amasiri in Ebonyi State, but resides in Umuagu in Umuahia. The four kids, aged between one and eight, were yet to be found as at the time of filing this report.

Similarly, on December 16, 2023, three other kids were kidnapped on Ubakala Street/Ossai Road, Umuahia. But the police in Umuahia said on December 22, 2023, that they leveraged on what they termed robust technical intelligence support from the DSS in  Abia State, and apprehended one Ifeoma Abonyi, a 35-year-old woman in Asaba, Delta State and rescued the kids.

 

The latest episode

In the latest episode, three kids of the same parents who visited their grandmother on their way back from school, were handed over to another commercial tricycle operator by the grandmother. However, two of them are yet to be seen.

The names of the kids were given as Gideon Osinachi, 8, Divine Osinachi, 6, and Israel Osinachi, 4. While Gideon is said to be a primary two pupil, Divine and Israel are both in Nursery 3 and Nursery 1 respectively.

According to the mother of the missing kids, Glory Osinachi, 27, in the morning of Friday, May 10, she prepared them for school and they left without any premonition that something untoward would be happening to her children.

The woman, an apprentice seamstress who is from Amaoba, Ime Oboro in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, told Saturday Sun that after the close of school on the fateful day, her three children on their way back home, decided to branch off to their grandmother’s place in the same community.

Mrs. Osinachi said after staying with their grandmother as they had always done in the past, the elderly woman flagged down a tricycle, paid and asked him to take her grandchildren to their parents’ house. But as it later turned out to be, the Keke rider, after collecting the agreed transport fare, absconded with the children.

The distraught woman, who was said to have fainted and was rushed to a hospital when she got wind of the incident, is ruling out a case of kidnapping since nobody has contacted her family to demand a ransom, two months after the kids were taken away.

According to her, the matter was reported to the police, who said they were investigating the incident, after collecting photographs of the children.

Police react

The Abia State Police Command through the PPRO, Maureen Chinaka, while confirming the incident, admitted that the matter was reported at the Police Divisional Headquarters covering the area of the incident, and that investigation was ongoing.

Governor’s directive, rescue operation

Following the incident, the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti issued directives to security agencies in the state to do all within their powers to rescue the innocent kids.

Buoyed by the governor’s directive, security operatives swung into action and by Wednesday, May 21, one of the kids, Divine Osinachi was rescued in far away Ekwulobia, Anambra State

This much was disclosed by the Mayor/TC Chairman of Ikwuano Local Government Area, Osinachi Nwaka, in a statement.

“Master Divine Osinachi, the six-year-old child who went missing on May 10, 2024 with his two siblings, was found on May 21, 2024, in Ekwulobia, Anambra State in a rescue operation coordinated by officers from the Abia State Police Command, Homeland Security, and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).”

The LG boss expressed gratitude for the collaborative efforts that led to the rescue of one of the kids, even as he assured the public that the search for the remaining two children, Gideon and Israel, was ongoing. “We will leave no stone unturned in our quest to bring all our children back safely,” he assured.

With that rescue, the tension in the family of the Osinachi family appears lessened on Wednesday as a viral video showed the father of the missing children cuddling the rescued one with a measure of relief.

Two found, one still missing

Another good news came the following day (Thursday), when it was reported that another of the kidnapped kids had been rescued.

Personal Assistant to Ikwuano LGA Mayor, Dr. Okezie Chukwuma who broke the news said “The latest brought the number of the kids rescued to two, remaining one.

“This followed the rescue of one of his brothers, Divine, on Wednesday at Ekwulobia in Anambra.”

While disclosing to Saturday Sun that the second child was rescued at Nkpor, also in Anambra State, Chukwuma said his boss, Nwaka had assured that the remaining kid will be rescued unhurt and reunited with the family.

As the Osinachi family rejoice over the rescue of two out of their three missing children, other families whose children were taken away under similar circumstances are agonizing over uncertainties surrounding the whereabouts of their missing kids.