Hours after a 22-month-old girl, Mayowa
Aweda, was allegedly abducted by a 14-year-old housemaid at Unity
Estate, Idimu, Lagos, men of the Lagos State Police Command have found
the two of them under the Oshodi bridge around 2am.
The housemaid, Christianah, a young girl
from Iseyin, Oyo State, who was taken in by the Aweda family and put in
school, told the police that she was told by one Matthew to bring the
little girl.
from Iseyin, Oyo State, who was taken in by the Aweda family and put in
school, told the police that she was told by one Matthew to bring the
little girl.
According to her, the
yet-to-be-identified Matthew also took both of them on a motorcycle to
Oshodi and instructed them to sleep under the bridge till the following
morning.
“He told me that we would be moving early the following morning,” the girl told the police.
yet-to-be-identified Matthew also took both of them on a motorcycle to
Oshodi and instructed them to sleep under the bridge till the following
morning.
“He told me that we would be moving early the following morning,” the girl told the police.
PUNCH had reported how
Christianah left the Aweda’s home with the little girl around 7pm that
day and simply disappeared, prompting the family to launch a search for
the duo.
Christianah left the Aweda’s home with the little girl around 7pm that
day and simply disappeared, prompting the family to launch a search for
the duo.
The girl’s father, Mr. Leo Aweda, told
our correspondent that when policemen from the Bolade-Oshodi division
saw the two girls under the bridge, Christianah told them that both of
them were from the same parents and that they had nowhere to go.
our correspondent that when policemen from the Bolade-Oshodi division
saw the two girls under the bridge, Christianah told them that both of
them were from the same parents and that they had nowhere to go.
“She told them she did not understand
Yoruba whereas she is from Iseyin. The police thought they were taking
care of abandoned children,” he said.
Yoruba whereas she is from Iseyin. The police thought they were taking
care of abandoned children,” he said.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that
Christianah might have had a change of mind while in police custody and
admitted that they were from Unity Estate, Egbeda, but when the police
took her to locate where she came from, she took the police to two
different schools, who denied knowing her.
Christianah might have had a change of mind while in police custody and
admitted that they were from Unity Estate, Egbeda, but when the police
took her to locate where she came from, she took the police to two
different schools, who denied knowing her.
Aweda said, “She deliberately avoided
the school where we put her, which my daughter also attended. It was
while the policewoman was following her around for about three hours
that some neighbours spotted them.
the school where we put her, which my daughter also attended. It was
while the policewoman was following her around for about three hours
that some neighbours spotted them.
“When we were notified, we followed them
back to the station and that was where she told us that one Matthew
took them on a motorcycle from Egbeda to Oshodi.
back to the station and that was where she told us that one Matthew
took them on a motorcycle from Egbeda to Oshodi.
“Some people told us that she might have
been hypnotised by people who wanted to abduct our child. When she left
home with my daughter, she did not pick any of the things we bought for
her except a rechargeable lamp. While we were searching for her,
someone spotted her around 9pm somewhere with our girl. The person said
she had N500 with her out of which she bought a sausage roll for my
daughter.”
been hypnotised by people who wanted to abduct our child. When she left
home with my daughter, she did not pick any of the things we bought for
her except a rechargeable lamp. While we were searching for her,
someone spotted her around 9pm somewhere with our girl. The person said
she had N500 with her out of which she bought a sausage roll for my
daughter.”
Aweda said his family took Christianah
in after they needed a housemaid and an acquaintance told them of a girl
from a poor family that needed help.
in after they needed a housemaid and an acquaintance told them of a girl
from a poor family that needed help.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that the family had asked the police to release Christianah to her family.
“We decided to put her in the same
school as my child and even sent N5,000 every month to her mother. After
we released her to her family, the mother has apologised to us and that
the girl had admitted everything. She said it was the devil that used
her,” Aweda said.
school as my child and even sent N5,000 every month to her mother. After
we released her to her family, the mother has apologised to us and that
the girl had admitted everything. She said it was the devil that used
her,” Aweda said.
He was full of thanks to the police and residents of his neighbourhood who helped in the search for the girl.