The parents of two abducted sisters –
Chikamso Okpara aged two, and four-year-old Chinaza Okpara – say they
have not heard any positive news from the police about the kids’
whereabouts since their abduction on May 14, 2016.
They said they had explored all avenues
to trace the abductor, identified only as Rose, to no avail and urged
the police to ensure that their children were rescued safely.
Rose reportedly fled with the children
around 12pm penultimate Saturday shortly after their mother, Ijeoma
Okpara, left the shop to buy foodstuffs at a market – a few metres away
from the shop on Cemetery Street, in the Ajegunle area of the state.
The incident happened four days after Rose enrolled as an apprentice hairdresser.
Ijeoma, a stylist, had left the children
in the care of Rose and a resident, Franca, only to return 15 minutes
later and discover that Rose had fled with the kids.
Her husband, Emeka Okpara, told PUNCH Metro
on Thursday that except the assurance he received from his pastor that
the kids were safe, the police had yet to give the family any positive
development after the incident was reported at the Ajeromi Police
Division.
He said, “We have searched for them. We
have made reports and people have helped us to circulate their pictures
on the social media. We have been told by men of God that the children
are safe and are being kept within the state by the apprentice. We pray
every day for their protection and safe return.
“I spoke with the policeman
investigating the case. He said no progress yet and that I should be
prayerful. I don’t know the mode of their operation, but they should
make more efforts to rescue them. Those are the only children we have. I
am very disturbed and it has been difficult handling my emotion and
that of my wife. Nobody has contacted us for ransom so far.”
The distraught wife, Ijeoma, said she was surprised that the apprentice could abduct her children.
She said, “The shop is in front of our
house and is owned by a woman. I only work there to assist the owner. On
Tuesday, May 10, Rose came and said she wanted to learn hairdressing. I
told her to come back as the owner of the shop that will decide on her
acceptance was not around. She begged me to allow her start immediately,
saying she was idle at home. I eventually accepted after much pleading.
“The customer I was making hair for on
that Saturday said she wanted to pick something at home, so I had to
take a break. I decided to quickly go to the market to buy foodstuffs.
The market is near the shop and I didn’t spend more than 15 minutes
before I returned.
“On getting to the shop, Franca said
Rose went with my children to buy something immediately I left. I became
apprensive when she did not return early and that was how we began to
search for her and the kids. We went to Turner Street which she gave as
her address, but we could not find her.”
The Lagos State Police Command, however, said it was on the trail of the apprentice and promised to get her arrested.
The command’s Public Relations Officer,
SP Dolapo Badmos said, “The police are on the trail of the abductor.
Efforts are ongoing to rescue the children and apprehend the culprit.”