Policemen at Denton Police Station, Ebute-Metta were shocked
speechless, when a 12-year-old girl, identified as Ikimot, recently walked into
their station and declared that her ‘mum’ stole her five years ago.
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), in charge of Denton Police
Station, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Saheed Quadri, not ready to
treat her allegation with levity, instructed some of his men to start
investigation.
Preliminary investigations showed that the girl, Ikimot and an
11-year-old boy, Okashetu Musa, who were both living with the accused mum, were
stolen in 2014.
It was also discovered that since that 2014, both children had
been with Christiana Onuchukwu, who they both now call mummy. The police
arrested the woman for child stealing.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Chike
Oti, while confirming the incident, explained that Ikimot went to Denton Police
Station to lodge a complaint against her ‘mum’ that she was stolen from her
biological parents some years ago and handed over to Onuchukwu.
Oti said: “The girl mentioned her abductor's address and asked the
police to reunite her with her parents. It was based on her complaint that the DPO,
Saheed Quadri, led a team of detectives to No.1 Ogati Street, Fadeyi, Lagos,
where the suspect was arrested. When the suspect and Ikimot were
debriefed, the girl stated that she was seven years old when she started living
with Onuchukwu and that her present age is 12. She mentioned another little boy
called Okashetu Musa as another victim, abducted by the suspect. The DPO
dispatched a team of detectives to rescue the boy. It was discovered that the
boy was abducted when he was six-year-old, but now 11 years old.”
Oti further said: “The boy, who could still speak Hausa, said that
he once lived in the Ebute-Metta area of the state with his mother. The leader
of the Hausa community in Ebute Metta was invited to the station to help link
the child to his parents. The leader, after consultation with his subjects,
claimed that the mother of the boy, a blind woman, had relocated to Kastina
State having lost hope of ever finding her child.”
According to Oti, the children have been reunited with their
parents while the suspect was yesterday charged to Ebute Metta Magistrate's
Court 5 for conspiracy, abduction and child stealing.
Oti said that the Lagos
State Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, has
directed the DPO to intensify efforts in ensuring that all persons connected
with the crime are arrested and prosecuted.
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