Men in Police Uniform Allegedly Abduct Girls 7, 10 In Lagos

A seven year old girl, Nwamaka Johanna Uyagu and and her 10 year old sister, Lilly Adaeze Uyagu have been allegedly abducted from their home at  HF 239, Close 62, Road 5, Victoria Garden City, Lagos, Nigeria on Wednesday 10th of May, 2020 by an unknown policemen. 

Mrs. Chime Uchendu, sister to the mother of the abducted girls who confirmed the scary development to this medium, through a WhatsApp message, stated that the two girls were at their home with other children in the premises, when an unknown team of Police men forced their way into the compound and whisked them  away. 

Chime also said that all efforts to reach the girls’ mother, Ms. Ifeatu Nkala, have proved abortive as her phones have been switched off.

Chime alleged that the alleged abductors are believed to be acting on the instruction of ACP Gbolahan Olugbemi, the Area Commander of Area J Command, Elemoro, Ajiwe-Ajah, Lagos, whom she said acted in an unprofessional and unlawful connivance with one Mr. Ebinum Uyagu and his mother, Mrs. Uyagu, brother and mother to the abducted girls’ father.

Chime statement reads: “the mother of the girls, Ms. Ifeatu Nkala have gone to work like other adult occupants of the compound. Mr. Uchendu who owns the property has just taken a morning walk-out, a routine exercise he does every morning when the two men in police uniform and two women who had been laying ambush around took advantage of his absence from the premises to gain entrance and took the girls away. 

“The parents of the girls got divorced in 2016 in Benin with an order of custody awarded to their father, Dr. Oliseneku Damien Uyagu. However, the man abandoned the girls to his relations and relocated to Saudi Arabia where he lives with his new wife. 

“Their mother, Barr. Ifeatu Nkala who became worried made efforts to get back her children to no avail until the children were released during the 2019 summer holiday to her. Upon receiving her children, she saw signs of abuse, assaults and harassment on them. She complained to her former husband and informed her she would under no circumstance release her children to anyone. 

According to our source, some family members of Ms. Nkala’s former husband then rose against her seeking to have the children back as the children was their meal ticket from their father,  Dr. Uyagu. It was at that point that the collaboration of ACP, Mr. Oluwagbemi, Area Commander was sought. 

“In a scandalous move that could be prompted only by official compromise, Mr. Oluwagbemi ordered the arrest of Barr. (Ms.) Ifeatu Nkala. He detained her for more than two days and threatened not to release her unless she delivered the girls to some strange family members. Ms. Nkala approached the Lagos High Court for the enforcement of her rights and the custody of the children. 

“On the 18th day of May, 2020, a High Court of Lagos State presided over by Hon. Justice A. M. Nicol-Clay delivered judgment and awarded custody of the children to their mother, Barr. (Ms.) Ifeatu Nkala. 

“The court restrained the Police and the family of the erstwhile husband from further disturbing or interfering with Ms. Nkala’s custody of the children. 

“The court further held that Mr. Gbolahan Olugbemi ACP acted scandalously and unprofessionally and recommended him to be disciplined by the authorities of the Nigerian Police. 

“The defeated family of Ms. Nkala rushed to the High Court of Edo State, Benin to prop up the already concluded divorce case between the erstwhile couple. Mrs. Nkala’s counsel, Ige Asemudara exhibited all the court processes in the Lagos Case including the order awarding custody to the woman, Ms. Nkala. The court was informed that the Petitioner was no longer in Nigeria and had abandoned the children to untrusted third parties.  Despite that, in a weird ruling, the court aware of the Lagos orders said it was enforcing the 2016 judgment and that Ms. Nkala should give up the children. 

“Ms. Nkala immediately appealed the ruling to the Court of Appeal Benin by a Notice of Appeal filed on the 27th of May, 2020 and also filed a Motion seeking  an order of stay of execution of the ruling of 22nd May, 2020 delivered by the High Court of Benin. That application for stay is yet to be heard by the Edo State High Court up till date. The Registrar of the Edo State issued a Summons to settle record to parties dated 8th June, 2020. Instead of counsel to the Uyagus to appear to settle record, he wrote to the registry requesting a shift in the date to settle record to Monday, 16th of June, 2020.

“In a sudden unlawful twist, the Police in connivance with the family of Dr. Damien Uyagu (Snr.) planned the abduction of the two children who are very vulnerable girls with history of abuse. An eye witness who is a minor said, the police came with two women suspected to be the mother of Ebinum Uyagu and his fiancee. They have been taken to an unknown destination without the approval of the High Court of Lagos, the jurisdiction of which the unlawful abduction took place. 

“Up till the time of this report, the telephone number of Barr. (Ms.) Ifeatu Nkala, the mother of the two girls, was unreachable. There is a possibility that she has been abducted too as no one in her office could be reached.

“This is one case too many of the Nigeria Police unprofessional and unlawful acts”, Mrs. Uchendu stated.

Confirming the story to our correspondence on the telephone, Barrister Ige Asemudara, lawyer to Ms. Ifeatu,said he is still unable to reach her client but that he already heard of the abduction of the girls. 

He said further, “I am taken aback by the audacious manner in which some Nigerians flout court orders and breach the law in connivance with policemen that are supposed to be law enforcement agents. We will get to the root of all of this. I won’t get tired. Is it not last month here that the Honourable Court declared ACP Gbolahan Olugbemi’s conduct in this case as scandalous and unprofessional? Is it not last month that he was recommended to the Police authority for disciplinary action? Now, we are traveling that road again!”. 

He said further, “I also call on well meaning Nigerians, the press, the Child Welfare office and the Police authorities to get to the root of this evil and return the children to their mother in this day of prevalence of pedophiles and all sorts of abuses against the girl child”.

As at the time of going to press, the Police PPPRO, did not get back to our correspondent.

Attached are the text messages conversation between our correspondent and the PPRO