Just like the parents of the Chibok schoolgirls abducted
more than 100 days ago, the parents of two toddlers have been in misery and
agony since June 30, 2014, when the children failed to return from school.
more than 100 days ago, the parents of two toddlers have been in misery and
agony since June 30, 2014, when the children failed to return from school.
The two little children, three-year-old Chisom Nweke and her
sibling, Somtochukwu who is 18 months, have not been seen for almost 35 days.
Until they were declared missing, the toddlers were pupils of Master’s Vessel
Academy, a private school in Obeozalla Nkanu West Local Government Area, Enugu
State.
sibling, Somtochukwu who is 18 months, have not been seen for almost 35 days.
Until they were declared missing, the toddlers were pupils of Master’s Vessel
Academy, a private school in Obeozalla Nkanu West Local Government Area, Enugu
State.
Heart-rending tale about the missing kids began when the proprietress of
the school, Mrs Dorothy Okafor, had to undertake an assignment outside the
school and handed over to her deputy, 35-year-old Uchechukwu Onah, to take
charge of the school. No not long after Okafor left, Onah allegedly dismissed
the pupils at noon instead of the normal 4.00pm closing time of school.
Hell broke loose when the father of the children came at the
usual time to pick them up and discovered that the toddlers could not be found.
usual time to pick them up and discovered that the toddlers could not be found.
The Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu
told Sunday Sun that the mother of the children then alerted the proprietress
of the school, who immediately summoned all the teachers to gather, but Onah
herself could not be found. A report was made to the State Criminal
Investigation Department and Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Enugu State
Police Command.
told Sunday Sun that the mother of the children then alerted the proprietress
of the school, who immediately summoned all the teachers to gather, but Onah
herself could not be found. A report was made to the State Criminal
Investigation Department and Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Enugu State
Police Command.
Explaining what followed, Adamu said: “We arrested all the
teachers of the school and took them to the State Criminal Investigation
Department, Enugu, where we screened them. They were all released later. When
we called Onah she told us that she was sick and we started looking for her
until July 3, 2014 when policemen in Agbani, Nkanu West LGA arrested her.”
teachers of the school and took them to the State Criminal Investigation
Department, Enugu, where we screened them. They were all released later. When
we called Onah she told us that she was sick and we started looking for her
until July 3, 2014 when policemen in Agbani, Nkanu West LGA arrested her.”
Telling her own side of the story, the proprietress of the
school, Okafor said: “I was shocked when I heard that two pupils of the same
parents in my school were missing. I was away from the school on assignment.
Before leaving I handed over the school to my deputy. Immediately I left she
dismissed the pupils around 12.00pm instead of 4.00pm. So when I heard that two
pupils were missing, I had to call all the teachers. When they came, I didn’t
see Mrs Onah.
school, Okafor said: “I was shocked when I heard that two pupils of the same
parents in my school were missing. I was away from the school on assignment.
Before leaving I handed over the school to my deputy. Immediately I left she
dismissed the pupils around 12.00pm instead of 4.00pm. So when I heard that two
pupils were missing, I had to call all the teachers. When they came, I didn’t
see Mrs Onah.
Policemen from the State CID came and arrested all the
teachers, took them away screened everybody and later released them. But I
couldn’t find Onah and I was worried. We started looking for her. She called me
and said she was sick. She said she couldn’t come out and see me. Four days
after the children were missing she still refused to come out. So policemen in
Agbani, Nkanu West went and arrested her.”
teachers, took them away screened everybody and later released them. But I
couldn’t find Onah and I was worried. We started looking for her. She called me
and said she was sick. She said she couldn’t come out and see me. Four days
after the children were missing she still refused to come out. So policemen in
Agbani, Nkanu West went and arrested her.”
As would be expected, the father of the missing children is
distraught and agonizing over the whereabouts of the toddlers. He said: “These
are the only two children I have. We always go to the school to pick them
around 4.00pm. But on that day we came we learnt that the school had closed
around 12.00 pm. I was worried and we started looking for my two children. The
teachers that were present in the school also assisted us but we were unable to
locate my children.”
distraught and agonizing over the whereabouts of the toddlers. He said: “These
are the only two children I have. We always go to the school to pick them
around 4.00pm. But on that day we came we learnt that the school had closed
around 12.00 pm. I was worried and we started looking for my two children. The
teachers that were present in the school also assisted us but we were unable to
locate my children.”
While acknowledging that she was on duty on the fateful day,
the prime suspect in the case, Onah, said she stayed back in the school after
all the pupils were dismissed to go home.
the prime suspect in the case, Onah, said she stayed back in the school after
all the pupils were dismissed to go home.
Her words: “When everybody left I didn’t go home and I later
heard that a certain parent didn’t see his children. The daughter of the school
proprietress told me that one of the primary pupils took them home. When they
called me I told the proprietress that I was sick. I was at home when the
police came and arrested me.”
heard that a certain parent didn’t see his children. The daughter of the school
proprietress told me that one of the primary pupils took them home. When they
called me I told the proprietress that I was sick. I was at home when the
police came and arrested me.”
The police are still trying to unravel the misery behind it,
and implore members of the public to come forward with any useful information
that can lead to the recovery of the children.
and implore members of the public to come forward with any useful information
that can lead to the recovery of the children.
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