The employer and family members of a 15-year-old girl, Chidimma Nwanneka, are currently in search of her after she went missing in May 2023.
Chidimma, who hails from Umuike Village, Agulu in Anambra State, was said to be a house help in the residence of a Lagos-based businesswoman, Mrs Chinelo Oranu, who lives in the Lekki area of Lagos.
Oranu, who spoke to journalists in Awka, on Monday, said she dropped Chidimma off at her school, named Gbara Secondary School in Jakande, Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lekki, Lagos State, in early May and till date, the girl has not been found nor returned home.
Oranu, who hails from Amudo Village, Awka, Anambra State, said a case of a missing person has been reported at Gbara Police Division, Jakande First Gate, Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.
She lamented that since she reported the case in May, the police have yet to ascertain the missing girl’s whereabouts, noting that the family members are devastated by the disappearance, hence her decision to resort to public intervention in searching for the missing girl.
She said, “Chidimma is my maid and I also enrolled her in school. The incident happened in May 2023 and on Monday, I dropped her off at her school and gave her transportation fare to return home after school.
“When I came back home from work on the said fateful day (Monday), some minutes to 4 pm, I did not see her at home, so I began to search for her. I contacted her school and I was told that all the students have left the school compound for their various homes.
“Prior to the disappearance of Chidimma, we had a problem with her mother who worked as a chef in our hotels and we suspended her mother for a week. Her disappearance happened exactly on the day of the expiration of the suspension we handed her mother.
“I have reached out to her mother to ask her if she was aware of the disappearance of her daughter from our custody, but she said no. Although her schoolmates attested that she came to school on the said day she didn’t return home.
“Thereafter, I reported the case to Gbara Police Division, Jakande, First Gate, Lagos State for proper documentation and investigation, but to date, the girl has not been traced. I am so traumatised by the ugly incident and this is why I restored to using the media to convey the message of finding her.”
In her words, the mother of the missing girl, who gave her name as Mrs Chinasa Nwanneka, said she has not heard from her daughter since her disappearance in May.
Nwanneka said, “The only information I have in this case is that my daughter complained that she was tired of living with Mrs Oranu, but I encouraged her to be patient. I am not aware of her disappearance and I have not heard from her since then.
“All I am asking is the bringing back of my daughter to Awka. I called on the Police and the general public to assist us in this case.”
When contacted, the I.P.O at Gbara Police Division, Lekki, who gave her name as Alhaja Alaka said the case of a missing person was actually reported to the police by Mrs Oranu and that the case had since May 2023 been forwarded to the Lagos State Police Command to further actions.
Alaka said, “Our preliminary police investigation shows that the girl, Chidinma Mary Nwanneka is abducted by a yet-to-be-identified brother and we have sent a letter to the command for necessary actions. All parties should maintain the status quo.”
When also contacted on the development, the Lagos State Police command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said he wasn’t aware of the case.
Hundeyin promised to investigate the matter and get back, but it has been days now, since the PPRO made the promise, and he has neither called nor responded to text messages sent to his telephone line.
