Authorities of the Bayelsa State Police Command has issued a warning to parents and guardians in Yenagoa, the state capital, to be wary of the activities of serial kidnappers of toddlers and kids.
The warning by the Police authorities is coming at the wake of the Sunday abduction of three years old twin babies at the popular motor park known as Ekeki Motor Park.
The incident, which took place at noon on Monday, threw the park in confusion with search parties searching and questioning everyone.
Leadership gathered that the mother of the missing kids, Modupe Joseph, had reportedly gone to the Etegwe-Tombia roundabout to buy salt to make corn, leaving her four children in custody of one Aisha Ahmed.
The eldest among the children, Miss Fumi said, 10, told leadership that a certain man approached her and gave a sum of N200 to buy food for the children but she refused, responding that her siblings had already eaten.
The little girl narrated amidst tears that she later collected the money after the man’s persistence.
“The man gave me N200 to buy food for my brothers but I told him that they have they eating but he insisted so I collected the money. Before I returned he has carried my brothers away.”
Little Fumi observed that the assailant came in a black Sienna car which he packed close by.
Narrating her experience, the lady who was in custody of the children and a petty trader, Aisha Ahmed said she was given N1,000 by the same man to get food for the kids.
“One man came to me and gave me a thousand naira note to buy three plates of food for the children so that he could have change in his hand but I asked him to bring the money so I would buy recharge card for him to get change.
“While I went to get the recharge card I saw the eldest among the children (Fumi) and I queried her for leaving the kids but she told me that the man gave her N200 to buy food for the children.
“When we returned, we did not see the two boys. I don’t know what has happened to them”, she wailed.
Mother of the two missing babies and native of Ondo state, who refused to be consoled said, “I left my kids with my friend Aisha to by salt at Tombia junction. Now they are telling me that my babies are nowhere to be found. If I don’t see my children, I will die”.
The Bayelsa State Police Command, in a statement issued yesterday and signed by its spokesperson, DSP Asinim Butswat, advised parents and guardians to closely monitor the movement of their children at all times.
According to Police, “The advise has become imperative following recent reported cases of abduction of children in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.”
“The command has intensified surveillance, strategic patrols and other security measures to curb it.”
“Members of the public should assist the Police with useful information about suspicious movement of individuals lurking around schools, churches, mosques, parks and other locations where children usually gather.”
