It started as a rumour, and then a distraught father made a video of his four missing children. It immediately went viral. Now the Police have confirmed everyone’s fear that the four pupils of the same parents are missing.
The sad incident took place in Umuagu-Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of the state.
The Abia Police spokeswoman, ASP Maureen Chinaka, announced on Sunday that the parents of the pupils, Chimaobi Agha, and his wife, Oluchi, reported the matter at the Ohuhu Police Divisional Headquarters on November 28.
The children are: Chinweotiti Chimaobi (7) female, Nmesomachi Chimaobi (7) female, Testimony Chimaobi (4) male, and Godswill Chimaobi (2) male.
According to the Police, the incident occurred on November 27 when the mother put the children in a commercial tricycle, operated by an unknown person, to convey them to their school.
“The children’s mother escorted them to the junction of her street to board an unknown tricycle to convey them to Great Ambassadors College located within the area.
“No one escorted or went with them, considering that the eldest is seven years old and the tricyclist is unknown.
“Unfortunately, at the end of the school day, the children did not return home as anticipated.”
Chinaka noted that the police initiated an investigation into the whereabouts of the missing children, adding that further investigation showed that pupils were not present in school on the said date.
She urged anyone with information that could aid in locating the children to promptly report to the nearest police station.
In the viral video hemade, the father of the children said: “My name is Chimaobi Agah, from Amasiri in Ebonyi State. I went to work in Enugu on Monday and my wife prepared my four children for school.
“She paid a KEKE (tricycle) driver to take them to school. In the afternoon when school was supposed to dismiss they did not return, and my wife went to their school to look for them.
“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 police men and we searched for them but without success. They asked me to come back the next day and make a statement. After they told me to go to radio station and do 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.”
Agah gave his phone number as 07057279866, and appealed to anyone with useful information on how to locate the missing children to contact him.