By Onwukwe Ezeru, Abia
Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adeyele Oyebade, has reunited one little Joseph Okafor, who was stolen from his parents on May 27, 2015, at Eluma Lokpaukwu in Umunneochi council with parents. While handing over the two-year-old to his father, Mr. Francis Okafor, the CP said that the little Okafor was abducted on the said date by two men – Chibuike Uzoegwu and Ezenwa Nwazue – from their family house and taken to an unknown destination, adding that the suspects were latter arrested and charged to Court by the Police. Oyebade added that efforts were further intensified by the Police to find the boy, which yielded fruits as the boy was latter seen in a church at Okigwe, Imo State on August 17, 2016, in the custody of one Emelda Iduma who hails from Afikpo Ebonyi State.
He said, “The suspect had already renamed the little boy David Kelechukwu Iduma. She confessed that her late husband One John Uduma adopted the little boy sometime May 2015”.
Oyebade noted that child theft is a crime against God and humanity, while warning members of the public to always go through the normal procedure of child adoption if they have the intention to adopt a child.
Speaking with journalists in Umuahia, the suspect, a 60-year-old retired teacher, said that her late husband, Iduma, convinced her that the boy was properly adopted with papers that showed evidence of the child’s adoption, but she lost those papers while relocating from the former resident.
She supported the reunion of the boy with his rightful parents, adding that she never intended to hurt the boy whom she named David and pleaded that she should be pardoned by the law enforcement agent.
However the father of the boy, Mr. Okafor, thanked God for the recovery of his son by the men of the Nigerian Police.
He said, “I have been very happy since my son was found because my wife and I have not been sleeping well since our son was stolen. I thank God for giving me my son back.”
Okafor pleaded that the suspect should be pardoned since she did not hurt the boy, adding that he will be taken the boy to visit her when he grows up.
Meanwhile, the new Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG zone nine (9), Hosea .H. Karma, has called on police officers to strive to win the confidence of the public by policing with integrity.
In his maiden press briefing at the AIG zone 9 office, Umuahia, Abia State, Karma flanked by his key officers, disclosed that his
administration in the zone (South-East), would key into the Inspector General of Police guideline which had it that Nigeria Police Force will be guided by the international core value of policing with integrity and rule of law.
He pledged to ensure that the zone 9 under his leadership and cooperation of the executive governors from the zone would operate within the principles of democratic policing with focus on integrity and accountability.
The AIG vowed to fight crime and other social vices in the zone, promising that very soon night life will return to Abia State.
His words: “We will work closely with the executive governors from the zone to ensure that the four states within the zone enjoy peace and tranquility.” On the introduction of Eminent Peoples Forum, the zone 9 AIG said the orthodox concepts which regards security as the exclusive preserve of
the police and security agencies alone has become obsolete and moribund, stating that security is now the concern of all citizens in the country, journalists, traditional rulers, traders, politicians,
captains of industry are all stakeholders in the renewed security
project. Karma said that membership would comprise critical stakeholders such as community leaders, religious leaders, retired senior security officers, traditional rulers, among others, stating that the forum would assist in mediation and social control during security challenges when necessary.
The AIG who noted that development would not be achieved unless security of lives and properties are guaranteed, called on government within the zone to show more understanding and cooperation with the police. “It is only when peace and security of lives and property are granted that meaningful development can take place”, he pointed out.