The family of a seven-year-old girl, Mercy Akande, has raised the alarm over her disappearance in the Sango Ota area of Ogun State.
PUNCH Metro learnt on Thursday that the incident happened on Monday close to where the girl’s mother operated a Point of Sale terminal in the community.
It was gathered that a yet-to-be-identified male adult said to be the mother’s regular customer visited the shop, bought food for the seven-year-old girl, and later sent her on an errand to buy a sachet of water.
On her return, the customer left the spot and approached her midway in an attempt to collect the water sachet.
The nephew of the victim who identified himself simply as Jude told our correspondent on Thursday that the mother sighted both of them at that moment but was distracted by the attention of other customers.
Jude said by the time she turned towards the daughter’s direction to check what was happening, both of them were nowhere to be found.
He said, “The man had been visiting her store regularly to withdraw money and buy recharge cards. He had become friendly with the girl and would often buy her food and give her money. He doesn’t stay in the area. On Monday morning, which was December 23, the man visited the stall again and bought food for himself and the girl.
While the mother was busy attending to other customers, the man sent the girl to buy pure water. On her way back, he approached her halfway to get the sachet water from her. The mum saw this and wasn’t comfortable with it but was distracted by the attention of other customers. By the time she turned towards the daughter’s direction to check what was happening, the guy and her daughter were nowhere to be found.”
Jude said the mother immediately launched a search for her daughter but did not find her.
He added that repeated calls made to the man’s phone were not responded to while his line was no longer reachable.
The girl’s cousin had through his X handle, Miyakee, disclosed that the incident was reported at the nearest police station in the community.
He stated that the mother was asked to pay N10,000 to report the case and also told to bring N30,000 to track the man’s phone number.
“We have reported to a police station in Sango and the struggling mom has been asked to pay a total of 10k to report the case (she has done that). And to bring N30,000 for the guy’s phone number to be tracked. She’ll be going back there tomorrow to pay.
“As it is now. Work has not even started. She only paid N8000 to write her statement at the station and a total of N2000 to print out pictures of the missing girl. Then to track the phone number, she has to pay the sum of N30,000 and get a court affidavit to take to MTN office,” he wrote.
He however lamented that efforts to get a court affidavit were not successful due to the holiday.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, did not respond to calls made to her phone. She had yet to reply to a WhatsApp message sent to her as of the time this report was filed.
(PUNCH)