From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the death of two children of twin parents who were earlier reported missing in Gboko, Gboko Local Government Area of the state at the weekend.
Our correspondent gathered that seven year old Aondoana Eric Abba and six year old Aondoaseer Ernest Abba went missing last Saturday around the J.S. Tarka Institute of Political Studies, Gboko Town on Saturday 2nd July 2021 at about 5pm.
Both Aondoana and Aondoaseer were said to be children of twin brothers, Eric and Ernest who both live at Plot 109, Captain Downes street, Gboko East.
Sources from the area said the kids left the house to watch a football match at a football viewing center situated a few metres away from their residence while their parents were away.
One of our sources who simply gave her name as Ngohide said when the parents returned and couldn’t find the boys, they raised alarm which attracted the attention of neighbours who also constituted search parties in search of the missing children.
However, efforts to locate the whereabouts of the kids failed until Sunday morning when the footwear of one of them was found near a dug out area that had a pool of water and the other’s footwear at a nearby Catholic Church.
“When their footwear’s were discovered within the same vicinity, there was the initial fear that they might have drowned inside the shallow stream, a development which prompted people to dive into the stream in search of them to no avail.
“But on Monday morning, while still intensifying the search, their lifeless bodies were found dumped near the water at the J.S. Tarka Institute of Political Studies with clear evidence of strangulation around their various necks,” another source who gave his name as Terhemba said.
The parents could not be reached at the time of this report but sources close to them told newsmen that they were still in shock.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer PPRO, DSP Catherine Anene confirmed the report saying investigation was still in progress on the matter.
“Two children who were reported missing were found dead in Gboko today. Investigation is in progress. I will communicate to you as soon as I get details please,” Anene said in a text message.