‘Disappearance’ of nine children unsettles Ogoni communities

Ogoni communities have raised the alarm over mysterious disappearance of nine children within the past three weeks, saying their whereabouts were unknown in the area

President, Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, (MOSOP), Fegalo Nsuke, who confirmed the development in Abuja, noted that the trend may not be unconnected to ritual activities.

According to Nsuke, five children disappeared in Bera community, two children were earlier declared missing in Nweol community and two in Mogho all in Gokana, Local Council of the state.

He urged parents to keep eyes on their children, adding: “The rate of missing children in Ogoni is alarming and we are trying to see what we can do by working with traditional rulers to bring the situation under control.”

“We have confirmed that these children are missing. For one of the incidents in Bera, somebody came and sent an elderly person with the child on an errand, and by the time he came back her brother was missing,” Nsuke added.

MOSOP President stated that the development tends toward ritual activities, and is up to the traditional institutions to rise and do something, adding, “We need to call a meeting of all the chapters to commence a community-based sensitisation.”

“We have contacted the Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police (SP) and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area, she said only one case of a missing child has been reported.”