Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin

Mrs. Osaruname Faith, from Egbeta in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, yesterday, alleged that her two children, Amanda and Christabel, aged four and two years, respectively, were taken to an unknown destination by two of her tenants, Rose and Mercy, without her permission.

Addressing newsmen in Benin City about her ordeal, the distraught mother said the tenants moved into the house barely a month ago and since they came into the compound, they have all lived together as one family.
She explained that, based on the relationship that was established within such a short period, she decided to leave her two children with them while she went to the stream to fetch water.

Faith stated that, when she came back from the stream, she could not find the two children she left in the custody of her tenants. When she asked other neighbours if they saw her children and the two tenants, they said no.

“Yesterday afternoon, after my children returned from school, about noon, they said they were hungry. So, I prepared food and I gave to them. Later, I decided to approach my two neighbours, Rose and Mercy, to accompany me to the stream but they said they could not climb the hill on the way to the stream. So, I told them that, since they could not follow me to the stream, I would leave my two children with them and they agreed.

She said: “So, I left for the stream, but when I came back I could not find my children and my two neighbours. Everybody decided to join me to look for them but we did not see them. And when we called to their phones, they were switched off. I did not know them before but since they parked into our house, we have been living peacefully together. Based on that trust, I decided to leave my children with them. My husband later went to report the matter at the Okada police station.”

The 22-year-old woman called on the police and government to help locate and rescue her children from their captors.