Four children missing, father, police seek public help to find them
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Four children from the same family have been declared missing by their parents after leaving home for school in a tricycle taxi (Keke Marwa) in Abia without getting to school or coming back home since November 27.
Their father, Chimaobi Agah, has cried out for public help and also pleaded with the Abia government and the police to come to their rescue.
Police say they are on the case and have asked any member of the public with knowledge of the movement or current whereabouts of the children to provide it.
The case was highlighted on Arise News on Tuesday morning.
Agah, 43 – from Amasiri in Ebonyi, lives in Umuagua Ibeku in Umuahia North Council in Abia – recounted his four children, Chinweotiti Chimaobi (seven, female), Nmesomachi Chimaobi (seven, female), Testimony Chimaobi (four, male), and Godswill Chimaobi (two, male), who left home for Great Ambassadors College, Nkwoegwu, also in Umuahia North November 27 but have not been seen since then.
He said he travelled to Enugu State when his wife prepared the children for school and hired a tricycle driver in their area to convey them.
According to Agah, when the four children did not return home at the end of the day, he and his wife, Oluchi, became apprehensive and started looking out for them. They raised an alarm, suspecting they were abducted by the tricycle taxi operator.
“She paid a Keke (tricycle) rider to take them to school. In the afternoon, when the school was supposed to dismiss, they did not return home, and my wife went to their school to look for them,” Agah said, per reporting by The PUNCH.
“She was told by the school authorities that they did not come to school at all. My wife called me and I returned to Umuahia on Tuesday morning. I went to the school and was told the same story.
“So, I went to the police and reported it. They gave me four policemen and we searched for them but without success. They asked me to come back the next day and make a statement.
“After that, they told me to go to a radio station and make an announcement. I have done all these and till now, I have not seen them.
“The public should please help me. God should please forgive my sins. I know I’m a sinner but I believe Jesus died for sinners like me. Please, I need my four children rescued.
“I am feeling bored. Losing four children is not easy. Let the Abia State government and the police help us.”
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Police request information from the public
State Police Public Relations Officer Maureen Chinaka, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), confirmed the incident in a statement, per The PUNCH.
“On 28/11/2023, at about 1530 hrs, Mr. Chimaobi Agha and his wife, Mrs Chimaobi Oluchi, residents of Umuagu (Ibeku, Umuahia North LGA), visited Ohuhu Police Divisional headquarters to report an incident,” Chinaka dislosed.
“According to their account, on Monday, 27/11/2023, at 0730 hrs, Mrs Chimaobi Oluchi escorted their four children identified as follows: Chinweotiti Chimaobi (7 yrs old, female), Nmesomachi Chimaobi (7 yrs old, female), Testimony Chimaobi (4 yrs old, male) and Godswill Chimaobi (2 yrs old, male).
“The children’s mother escorted them to the junction of her street to board an unknown tricycle destined for Great Ambassadors College, Ukaiuga Nkwoegwu, Ohuhu, in Umuahia North LGA.
“No one escorted or went with them, considering that the eldest is 7 years old and the tricyclist is unknown. Unfortunately, at the end of the school day, the children did not return home as anticipated.
“The police initiated an investigation into the whereabouts of the missing children. Further investigation has shown that the children were not present in school on the specified date, and the investigation to trace the missing children is ongoing.
“We urge anyone with information that could aid in locating them to promptly report to the nearest police station.”
