The Ebonyi State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of two primary school pupils at Nwezenyi axis of Abakaliki by a fake National Youth Service Corps member, saying it has commenced investigations into the matter.
Speaking with The Point exclusively, the Public Relations Officer of the command, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, Joshua Ukandu, made this known and advised people to be more security conscious in their environments.
He said, “The case of missing children suspected to be abducted by a female fake NYSC member was reported at Iboko police division last week.
Investigations are on and we call on people to avail police any information that will lead to rescue of the two children and arrest of the suspect for prosecution. Police will do everything humanly possible to rescue the little children unhurt.”
The fair in complexion lady of about 40 years old who claimed to be a corps member vanished with two primary school pupils, Chinaza Nwachukwu and Ngozi Nwibo at Nwezenyi Junction in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State on January 22, 2024.
The woman, identified as Blessing Francis, was said to have committed the act barely 48 hours after she reportedly packed into a new one-room apartment in the area.
According to Mrs. Precious Nwachukwu, mother of one of the victims, the suspect, who was dressed in white T-Shirt and black leggings, rented a one-room apartment in their compound last weekend before the sad incident.
She said that the lady introduced herself as a corps member newly posted to the area, and was shown a room by the landlord. She paid for six months and hurriedly brought in a mat, an empty bucket and some yards of carpet.
Surprisingly, the lady disappeared with their two children after one night in the area.
“After the transaction with my landlord, I called the woman and enquired about her full identity but she was not very open with her identity.
After much persuasion, she told me that she was an indigene of Abia State married to Afikpo in Ebonyi State,” Nwachukwu said.
Nwachukwu said that she returned from work the following day, and then left for Nwezenyi evening market square around 6:00pm for a little shopping and upon her return she discovered that the purported corps member had disappeared with the two children, Chinaza and Ngozi.
The woman further revealed that the cash transaction made by the suspect revealed that she (abductor) bears Mrs. Orji Nta.
She said that her family reported the matter to the police at both the Iboko divisional headquarters and the state command, Abakaliki.
Her neighbour, Mrs. Nkechinyere Nwibo, whose daughter was also kidnapped, said that she came across the suspect for the first time that fateful Sunday when the woman came out from her newly-rented apartment.
Nwibo recounted, “The following day, the woman was busy with some books as if she was preparing a lesson note and shortly after she was surrounded by some children who watched films in her smartphone; but because I didn’t have the slightest inkling about her plans, I wasn’t apprehensive of any evil until after she ran away with the children.”
She also disclosed that before the sudden disappearance of the woman, she had instructed the children to wash their legs properly and accompany her to the junction to buy something. She did not know that it was the fake corps member’s ploy not to raise any suspicion.
Miss Nwibo’s uncle, Fred Akpatu, said that they went to the Corper’s Lodge in the area and discovered that the suspect’s purported two names – Blessing Francis and Orji Nta – were not in the corps members’ register.
The missing children, Chinaza Nwachukwu, a Primary 2 pupil of Divine Grace Academy and Ngozi Nwibo, a Primary 1 pupil of Nwezenyi Junction primary School, were yet to be found at press time.
