Nearly 10 months after the abduction of 12-year-old Favour Oluwaseyi in Elelenwo, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, her family and members of the Coalition of Rivers State Civil Society Organisations have staged a protest demanding urgent action from the police.
The protest took place on Tuesday at the Rivers State Police Command headquarters on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt. Armed with placards bearing messages such as “Justice for Favour” and “Oh thou God, arise in your anger and favour ‘Favour’ before great men to fight for her freedom,” the demonstrators expressed their frustration at the slow pace of the investigation since the child’s disappearance on August 7, 2024.
Chairman of the Coalition, Enefa Georgewill, led the protest and issued a 14-day ultimatum to the police.
“We are equally saying that if the police, who have failed to address these children here to celebrate Children’s Day with them, fail to provide Favour
in two weeks’ time, we will come back here in our numbers and make sure we occupy the police headquarters,” he said.
Georgewill acknowledged that the newly appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations had given assurances that the case would be treated with urgency. “The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, is new on the job. We want to give him the benefit of the doubt. But so far, they’re just making promises. And these are some of the same promises they’ve been making for the past nine months,” he added.
Favour’s father, Mr. Ogunsinasi Oluwaseyi, speaking during the protest, described the police response as a “very saddening and painful disappointment of the highest level.”
“We have gathered here before the Police Headquarters in Rivers State Command and are demanding justice for Favour, demanding her unconditional release, and that everyone culpable in this act should be brought to book,” he said.
Recounting the outcome of their meeting with the Deputy Commissioner, Oluwaseyi said, “The DC Operations has called us inside and assured us that in two weeks’ time, everyone found to be related to this matter will be called to order.”
He remained resolute in his demand. “We want her alive. I have said that we will not relent until Favour is back.”
During the protest, the Deputy Commissioner invited the family into his office for a closed-door meeting and reiterated the Command’s commitment to act swiftly.
As the family and civil society groups await action, the case continues to raise questions about the effectiveness of the police response to child abduction in the state.
