Worries As New Tenant Disappears With Neighbours’ Four Children

There was commotion last Saturday in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, after three tenants were confronted with the distressing reality that their four children had been whisked away by their newly arrived neighbour, who had only moved in three days prior.

The affected persons who are said to be all women, were identified as Madam Ngozi Kingsley, Madam Ifeanyi Uduma (Ngozi Kingsley’s sister), and Madam Blessing Peter Obasi from Nwoke compound, Elugwu Nguzu Edda in Ebonyi State, Naija News understands.

During separate interviews with journalists, the women shared their accounts, alleging that the suspected abductor, whose identity remains unknown, had moved into the building on Thursday, December 15, accompanied by another individual who could be her sister, friend, or an accomplice.

It was gathered that the new tenant had only brought a camping gas stove, a small 6-inch foam mattress, a mat, and a small bag suspected to contain her clothing.

The women also observed that while inside the house, the two “mysterious” tenants exclusively wore similar wrappers, suggesting that they possessed only a limited wardrobe.

“Within the first two days, they endeared themselves into the heart of the rest of their neighbours as women who love children by playing with them, buying them gifts as well as sending them on errands, and at a time, went to buy brooms and other items with one of the grown up children that later escaped abduction by the suspects,” The PUNCH quoted one of the affected women saying.

In somberness, Madam Uduma said she trod with caution, not suspecting any foul intention by the suspect.

She said, “On one occasion, one of my children came out of the house of the suspects wearing a white cloth with red spots” which she said she quickly removed from the child and was queried by the suspects why she did so.

Uduma, who claimed to have arrived in Umuahia from Ohafia this year, recounted her decision to move with her children to Umuahia in order to seek assistance from her sister, Ngozi Kingsley, with her fish business at the local markets. She explained that due to the hardships she faced in her hometown, she made the choice to relocate.

During the span of two days, Uduma stated that the suspect and her companion prepared meals for the children, who would innocently enter the suspect’s room while playing.

“That Saturday, she bought them drinks and gave them biscuits and latter gave them food to eat. The suspect also gave another tenant in the house food, and even me.

“Later, they dressed my last child with white cloth with red spots like flower. My child came to me excited to show me. I removed the cloth and dressed my child with her cloth and the woman came and asked me why I removed the cloth from my child. I told her that I wanted my child to wear my own cloth.

“Later, I saw her accomplice moving out with a sack bag with the clothes packed and the white ones on top and I asked her where she was going to. She said she wanted to go and buy things at the city centre while she had told another woman in the compound that she was going to give her sister clothes she bought for her. This one is a little slim while the main suspect is dark, fat and had bleaching marks on her legs.

“When the other one left, the fat one came out to where the children were playing that Friday evening, the children rallied around her, playing and demanding drinks. I left to fetch water and came back not to see them. I sent someone to go and know where the woman took the children and they were nowhere to be seen. That was how I started looking for them.”

Another tenant, Madam Blessing Peter Obasi, told journalists that the suspect took one of her grandchildren as well.

She sadly mentioned that her daughter, who is the mother of the grandchild, had passed away and her body was currently in the mortuary.

Uduma and Obasi, along with the suspect, visited the landlord’s shop after it had already closed at around 7 p.m. They then proceeded to the police station to make an official report.

Supporting Uduma’s statement, Blessing Obasi, a trader, revealed that upon returning home on that Saturday, she discovered that her child, along with two children from another woman, and an additional child from a different woman, had been taken. This brought the total number of missing girls to four.

“We went to the Central Police Station to report that Saturday and were there up till 1 am, looking for them. When that happened, I called the landlord to inform him and he promised to call the woman. He later called me to say the suspect’s line was not going through. Up to 12 pm, I had yet to see the landlord, unless he came when I was not in,” she said.

During the interview, the woman whose daughter was abducted, Ngozi Kingsley, was reportedly not available to speak to journalists as she was said to have travelled to her hometown, Okon Ohafia, on Sunday evening when reporters arrived their home.

Confirming the depressing event in a statement released on Monday, the State Command Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Maureen Chinaka, said, “At present, the police have arrested some suspects associated with the unknown tenant and investigation is in progress to determine the whereabouts of the children.”

She noted that “The complainant, Mrs. Ibe, brought this report to the attention of the police a day after the incident occurred. The public is strongly advised to report matters of this nature immediately to the police control room as soon as they discover such occurrences before physically reporting the incident at the police station.”

“Avoid entrusting underage children to unfamiliar individuals and maintain a vigilant approach when minors are seen with adult companions. Interview both the child and the accompanying person; if unsatisfied with explanations, involve the police for necessary action,” she further advised.”