The peaceful Umuokwe Quarters in Ogwashi Uku, Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State, was thrown into panic over the weekend following the mysterious disappearance of four young children. The children were allegedly abducted by three women who had just moved into the community a few days earlier.
The victims have been identified as six-year-old Ebube Nwafido and her three-year-old sister, Miracle, both from the same parents, as well as seven-year-old Chimanda and five-year-old Excel, also known as “Tinubu,” from two other families. Their disappearance has left their families and the entire community in shock and confusion.
According to multiple eyewitness accounts, the three women who are now suspected of masterminding the abduction arrived in the area on Monday and were seen making enquiries about rental accommodation. They reportedly approached a local resident, Mrs. Bose Nwafido, to help them find a one-room apartment to rent.
Speaking to journalists, Mrs. Nwafido recounted her strange encounter with the suspects. “They came to me saying they needed a room to rent. I directed them to someone who had one available. Not long after, one of them returned, claiming she had a running stomach after drinking Pepsi and zobo and asked to use our toilet. I showed her a private spot behind our house,” she said.
The woman allegedly came back later, when Mrs. Nwafido had gone to the market, and befriended her 10-year-old son, Ifechukwude. She reportedly used the opportunity to get closer to the children in the compound.
“That’s how they started coming around and showing kindness to the children,” Mrs. Nwafido explained. “They even gave them snacks and acted friendly, but we didn’t know they had an evil plan.”
On Friday, the day of the incident, Mrs. Nwafido had gone for a programme and instructed her children to stay within the compound. Later that day, some children in the neighbourhood reportedly returned to say “the aunty” had taken some children to buy biscuits from a supermarket.
That was the last time anyone saw the children.
After hours of waiting and no sign of the children, concerned neighbours went to check the women’s apartment. To their shock, the room was completely empty — the women had vanished, and so had the children.
The father of Ebube and Miracle, Mr. Kingsley Nwafido, said the entire family is devastated. “We are in deep pain. We don’t even know where to start. These women came pretending to be looking for a house, and now they’ve taken our children. My wife and I can’t sleep, we can’t eat. This is a nightmare,” he said.
He pleaded with security agencies and the public to help find their missing daughters.
The case has since been reported to the police, and the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident. According to him, investigations have begun, and efforts are being made to track down the suspects and rescue the children.
“We are aware of the case involving the abduction of four children in the Ogwashi Uku area. The police have already commenced investigation and we are working with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the children are found and reunited with their families,” Edafe said.
The incident has sent shockwaves across Delta State, as many residents are now more cautious about strangers in their communities. Some parents have begun warning their children not to talk to or follow unknown individuals.
Locals in Ogwashi Uku are calling on the state government to step in and improve community security, particularly through neighborhood watch groups and stricter identity verification for new tenants.
“It’s scary. These women came into our community less than a week ago, and now four innocent children are missing. We need better systems in place to monitor who comes into our neighborhoods,” said one concerned resident.
The case has also reignited conversations about child safety and the vulnerability of children in many Nigerian communities. With poverty and insecurity pushing many to desperate actions, experts say that child trafficking and abduction may be on the rise again in parts of the country.
Meanwhile, the families of the missing children are clinging to hope. “We believe God will return our children to us safely,” said Mr. Nwafido. “But we also need everyone to help — the police, the government, and ordinary Nigerians who may have seen or heard something.”
