Apprentice hairstylist disappears with mistress’s two kids

A woman, Mrs. Okpara and her husband, Emeka Okpara, are frantically searching for their two daughters after an apprentice hairstylist, identified as Rose, disappeared with them at the Ajegunle area of Lagos State.


Mrs. Okpara, Rose boss, said she went to the market when Rose disappeared with the girls.
Rose abducted the girls, four days after she applied as an apprentice hairstylist at the saloon, where Mrs. Okpara was the manager.
The abducted girls have been identified as Chikamso 2 and Chinaza, 4.
According to the distraught father of the girls, he and his wife were still waiting and praying that Rose would contact. As at yesterday, the kidnapper was yet to make contact.
The apprentice, who resumed work at the saloon on Tuesday, May 10, was alleged to have waited until Saturday, May, 14, when she abducted the two sisters. Today would be fourth day that Rose disappeared with the children.
Mr. Emeka Okpara, said the two girls had accompanied their mother to the salon and were playing when Rose lured them outside and left.
When Rose was queried by some neigbours who sighted her with the girls, she lied that she was instructed by their mother to go and buy them food.
Mr. Okpara said: "Rose approached my wife on Tuesday last week at the saloon. She said she wanted to learn hairdressing, but my wife told her that she was only a manager at the saloon. The arrangement was that she should come back with her people to meet the owner so that they could agree on the terms of work and then sign it.
“Rose said since the owner wasn't around, that she would still like to begin tentative work so that she won't be idle. My wife agreed and she worked from that Tuesday to Saturday. On that fateful Saturday, a customer came to the shop and my wife was attending to her. Later, my wife wanted to patronise the market across the saloon and so she left the customer, our daughters and Rose there.
"When she came back, she didn't see either Rose or our girls. When she asked the neighbours, they told her that Rose went out with them to buy food.
"Since that Saturday, we haven't seen or heard from Rose. We don’t know what else to do. We are devastated. We are pleading with her to please return our joy to us."
The matter had since been reported at the Ajeromi Police Station. A police source said that police are pursuing a lead that a notorious child- kidnapper, who was almost lynched to death at the Ikorodu area of the state on Monday, might provide possible answers as to Rose’s whereabouts.
Mr. Okpara added: "When we heard that a notorious kidnapper, who was known for abducting children, was arrested by the police on Monday, we had hoped she would be interrogated and perhaps she would lead us to Rose. We hoped that when she is interrogated, she would open up and tell us if she knows the whereabouts of our daughters. But as at now, she hasn't been interrogated because she is currently receiving treatment from the severe beating she received from a mob that almost killed her before she was rescued by the police."
Okpara urged well-meaning Nigerians to provide useful information to the nearest police station or call 08129390600.