Parents of four children, aged between seven and two years who went missing since Monday November 27, 2023 in Umuahia when they boarded a Keke Marwa to school, are crying out for help from the authorities.

The father of the children, Chimaobi Agha, said he already sent a distress call to the Abia State Government and the Abia State Police Command.

The children, identified as Chinweotiti (7, f), Nmesomachi (7, f), Testimony (4, m), and Godswill (2, m), were last seen on Monday November 27.

In the account of Agha, (43), who hails from Amasiri, Ebonyi State but resides with his family in Umuagua Ibeku, Umuahia North LGA, Abia State, his wife had paid a Keke Marwa drive to convey the four children to school.

On that fateful day, his wife (Oluchi) put the children on a Keke Marwa on their way to their school, Great Ambassadors College, Nkwoegwu, also in Umuahia North.

He disclosed that he was away to Enugu State when the sad incident happened but had to rush back on Tuesday, when his wife informed him that she couldn’t find the children.

He recalled in anguish that when the four children did not return home after school hours that

Consequently, he and his wife became apprehensive and started looking out for them.

So, they raised an alarm over the disappearance of the four children suspected to have been abducted by the tricycle rider engaged to convey them to school.

Aghah maintained that the incident has left his family shattered and traumatized.

In his words, “She (my wife) paid a Keke (tricycle) rider to take them to school.

“In the afternoon, when the school was supposed to dismiss, they did not return home, and my wife went to their school to look for them.

“She was told by the school authorities that they did not come to school at all.

“My wife called me and I returned to Umuahia on Tuesday morning. I went to the school and was told the same story.

“So, I went to the police and reported it. They gave me four policemen and we searched for them but without success. They asked me to come back the next day and make a statement. “After that, they told me to go to a radio station and make an announcement. I have done all these and till now, I have not seen them.

“The public should please help me. God should please forgive my sins. I know I’m a sinner but I believe Jesus died for sinners like me. Please, I need my four children rescued.”

Agha said he ran to the police and having seen on solution as of Sunday, which has left crying to the state government and the police to assist in locating and saving the children.

“I am feeling bored. Losing four children is not easy. Let the Abia State Government and the police help us,” he lamented.

Acknowledging the report, the Abia State Police Command Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Maureen Chinaka, in a statement Sunday said, “On 28/11/2023, at about 1530 hrs, Mr. Chimaobi Agha and his wife, Mrs Chimaobi Oluchi, residents of Umuagu (Ibeku, Umuahia North LGA), visited Ohuhu Police Divisional headquarters to report an incident.

“According to their account, on Monday, 27/11/2023, at 0730 hrs, Mrs Chimaobi Oluchi escorted their four children identified as follows: Chinweotiti Chimaobi (7 yrs old, female), Nmesomachi Chimaobi (7 yrs old, female), Testimony Chimaobi (4 yrs old, male) and Godswill Chimaobi (2 yrs old, male).

“The children’s mother escorted them to the junction of her street to board an unknown tricycle destined for Great Ambassadors College, Ukaiuga Nkwoegwu, Ohuhu, in Umuahia North LGA.

“No one escorted or went with them, considering that the eldest is 7 years old and the tricyclist is unknown. Unfortunately, at the end of the school day, the children did not return home as anticipated.

“The police initiated an investigation into the whereabouts of the missing children. Further investigation has shown that the children were not present in school on the specified date, and the investigation to trace the missing children is ongoing.

“We urge anyone with information that could aid in locating them to promptly report to the nearest police station.”