News Obiaks News

Uneasy calm now  reigns supreme at Obinnekele, Umuikuku, and Amatta in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State, following the reported stealing of a 10-month-old baby boy, Chibuike Ojii, by a gang of armed hoodlums. Investigations revealed that the four hoodlums stormed the seaside residence of the innocent boy’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Ojii, at about 2am.

A source, who spoke on strict grounds of anonymity, told newsmen that the traumatized members of Ojii family, are natives of Amaoba, Owutu Edda, of Ebonyi State. It was also gathered that soon after forcing themselves into the living room of Mr. and Mrs. Ojii, the hoodlums ordered the hapless father at gun point to lie flat face-down.

“Having obeyed the command, the armed hoodlums made straight for the innocent baby who was sleeping at the time. On trying to leave with the baby, Mr. Ojii pounced on one of the marauders and a bitter struggle ensued,” the source recounted. Continuing, he recalled that the hoodlum succeeded in extricating himself from the grip of Ojii and fired gunshots into the air to make good his escape.

He said further that a careful tracing of the motorcycle tyre used for operation, led to the home of one of the suspects who goes by a moniker, Snake. Although Snake roundly denied any involvement in the crime, the villagers were said to have felt it was best to hand him over to the police for proper investigation.

When newsmen called the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, a deputy superintendent of police, he confirmed the story, adding that two suspects had so far been arrested in connection with the crime. “A case of child stealing at Amatta, Ikeduru, was reported to the Police. Two suspects have so far been arrested and the police are on the trail of the other two that are now on the run,” the PPRO said.

In another news,  a nursing mother, identified as Esther, has been arrested for dumping her nine-year-old son, Micheal Monday, in Ondo town, Ondo State. The suspect, who had reportedly severed her relationship with the victim’s father, recently remarried. She was said to have travelled from Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, to Ondo town where she dumped her son and took off. Police source said Esther who was arrested in Ado Ekiti, had confessed that she dumped the boy because she had no job and that it was difficult for her to continue to take care of him.

It was gathered that the victim informed the police that his mother brought him from Ado Ekiti  and that he had not seen her in the last two days. Police detectives said the boy told them he lived at Opopogboro area in Ado Ekiiti and that his mother had just re-married. The Caretaker Chairman of Ondo West Local Government Area of the state, Victor Ogunya, has ordered the police to take the boy back to his parents in Ado-Ekiti.

It was gathered that the victim led the detectives to their house in Ado Ekiti where the mother was arrested and taken back to Ondo town for interrogation. The council boss appealed to parents and guardians to always monitor their children and pay proper attention to their welfare.