While our people were busy cursing the terrorist squad dormiciled in the North which goes by the appellation of “Boko Haram” but which specializes in bloodletting and abduction of innocent girl children and women, our own people in Imo and Anambra states have perfected similar habit of kidnapping innocent children between the ages of 2 and 8 years. The difference is that while the former keep their captivity as wives or suicide bombers, the later is for rituals, which a demonic practice against Christian doctrine.
Victims of this spate of kidnapping which is now rampant at Orsu LGA are either used for rituals for those seeking for political power or sold out rightly to childless couples who are ready to pay any amount to adopt a child or more. At the last count, a minimum of 29 children have so far been reported officially as having been kidnapped between August 31, 2014 when the first incident took place at Community Secondary School Amanachi in Orsu LGA and now, leaving their parents in deep sorrow and agony.
To the surprise of all the victims and their dependants, none of these kidnapped children has been found while the perpetrators or kidnappers have since been arrested and still under police custody at the State CID, Owerri, with the case foot dragging endlessly in court.
Following a tip-off on the modus-operandi of the kidnappers, to lure their victims or target children using both juju and a teenager, they were arrested and handed over to the Police since October 2014. They were however reluctantly charged to court after Orsu community leaders had written several petitions and led delegations to the Police authorities. Last December 10th, 2014, the case was charged to the Magistrate Court at Orsu and also upon adjournment slated for a second hearing at the Orsu LGA Magistrate Court on the 18th of December 2014 after which it was adjourned t o January 8th 2015, for further hearing.
Regrettably the Police authorities according to the beleaguered parents of the kidnapped children have interphased with the suspects of the said kidnap incidences to frustrate painstaking efforts at prosecuting the court case. This is because, rather than allow the law to take its full course; the Police are rather very keen on granting bail to the kidnappers, probably because they have been offered large sums of money.
For the avoidance of doubts, the kidnappers have been unmasked with the king ping one Lady Chinelo Mbagwu, said to be a native of Ihiala LGA in Anambra State, arrested. Her accomplice one Mrs. Ngozi Iro (AKA) Bomee also from Ihiala LGA was equally caught driving in a car without a plate number yet the Police have not been able to bring her to book ever since last November 2014. All those who worked assiduously to identify Ngozi Iro and other suspected kidnappers are rather under threats of elimination while the parents of the victims especially at Orsu are now living in fear and jittery over their continued existence.
Among those whose children have so far been kidnapped include Emeka Okeke of Amankwo Ebenator, Ikechi Nwama of Umuhu Okabia, and Anthony Uzoagba of Amanachi while their children who were kidnapped are Goodluck Amaole, 2 ½ years, kidnapped at Nkwo Idemili market Amanka Ebenator on 24th May 2014, Ikechi Nwama 4 years ad Chukwuebuka Uzoagba, 6years, kidnapped on May 27th 2014. There was also one Eberechukwu Onyeji, kidnapped on the 11th of June 2014. Others are Munachimso Okafornta, kidnapped on the 11th August 2014 and Favour Ezinwa who disappeared on February 20, 2014.
The parents of the kidnapped children who stormed Community Watchdog’s office on Monday pleaded with the Governor, the Police Commissioner and other law enforcement agents especially the judiciary to assist them to secure the kids. It was then that it became clear that the kidnapping has been on since May 2014. When contacted at Awo Idemili Police Station, the Officer-In-Charge of Scorpion Squard with number 08063868786, described the incident as a reported case of child stealing and not kidnapping.
Efforts made to ascertain the difference between child stealing and kidnapping from the police officer, proved abortive as he refused to speak further on the issue
Courtesy: Community Watchdog Newspaper
