The Delta Central Senator, Senator Ede Dafinone, has raised the alarm over the disturbing wave of child abductions rocking the Agbarho community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.

In a strongly worded statement on Thursday, the federal lawmaker described the development as heartbreaking and a dangerous trend that must be urgently tackled.

Reports indicate that no fewer than six children, mostly between the ages of three and 10, have disappeared from the community in recent months. The crisis, which spiked in June after four children were reported missing, has left families shattered and residents living in fear of the unknown.

The Guardian reports that tension boiled last week when aggrieved women staged a protest to draw government attention to their plight. Matters, however, turned tragic on September 24 when a mob lynched a woman accused of attempting to abduct a child—an act the Senator condemned as jungle justice that worsens the crisis.

“While the frustration of the people is understandable, jungle justice is not the solution,” Dafinone warned. “Taking the law into our own hands risks the lives of innocent persons and further undermines our collective pursuit of justice.”

The Delta Central Senator expressed sympathy with grieving families, assuring them of his solidarity and commitment to pressing for answers at the highest levels.

“Every missing child is a future we cannot afford to lose. I share in your pain, and I will not relent until safety is restored to Agbarho and all of Delta Central,” he pledged.

Dafinone called on the Delta State Police Command, Ughelli Area Command, and other federal security agencies to step up investigations, increase patrols, and work closely with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). He noted that the recent rescue of eight trafficked children in the state showed that proactive policing and intelligence could yield results.

“The time to act is now,” he declared. “We need tighter security surveillance, stronger community policing, and coordinated efforts to dismantle any syndicates behind these abductions, whether for ritual purposes or trafficking.”

He further urged community leaders, under the guidance of the Ovie of Agbarho, to maintain vigilance through neighbourhood watch groups, parental sensitisation, and partnerships with schools. According to him, communal solidarity would play a vital role in stopping further abductions.

The Senator, however, appealed for calm, insisting that unity and cooperation with law enforcement remain the only path to restoring peace. “Let us resist jungle justice and instead channel our anger into vigilance and collaboration. Together, we can overcome this menace,” he stressed.

Dafinone reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing stronger security interventions and legislative safeguards to protect children across Delta Central. “We will not fold our hands while criminals terrorise our homes. With unity of purpose, Agbarho, Ughelli North, and indeed our entire state will rise above this dark moment,” he said.