Dele Olaosebikan
OPERATIVES of the Ogun State Police Command yesterday, 3rd day of September 2023 at approximately 1530 hrs, while on patrol, successfully rescued two teenagers named Chindalu Umadi (17 years old) and Udeba David (16 years old).
The rescue operation was conducted by the Oru Division of the Command.
Eighteen-Eleven Media gathered that the boys had been kidnapped earlier yesterday at around 0820 hrs in the Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State. Two unknown individuals reportedly abducted them into a Toyota Saloon car, and the victims have no recollection of what happened during their captivity until they were discovered abandoned near a riverside in Oru-Ijebu.
Meanwhile, the prompt response of the patrol men from Oru-Ijebu Divisional Headquarters led to their rescue, and they were subsequently taken to the police station.
The Divisional Police Officer, CSP Mathew Ediae, interviewed the boys and obtained information about their ordeal. The teenagers shared their accounts, emphasizing that they were on their way to play football when they were forcibly taken.
The parents, who had been searching for their children all day could not believe their ears on receiving a call from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) informing them of the rescue and safety of their children. The DPO assured that once they arrived at the station for identification, the teenagers would be released to them.
Reacting to the development, SP Omolola Odutola, the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, said the incident highlights the importance of prompt and vigilant patrolling by men of the Nigeria Police, as well as the collaborative efforts between law enforcement and concerned parents in ensuring the safety and well-being of teenagers in such distressing situations.
She expressed the state Commissioner of Police, CP Alamutu Abiodun Mustapha’s satisfaction with this positive outcome. She said the CP also took the opportunity to address parents, emphasizing the need for vigilance, especially during the ember months which are notorious for an increase in criminal activities.
According to her, the CP advised parents to be aware of their children’s whereabouts at all times and encouraged teenagers to move in groups to minimize the risk of falling victim.
Eighteen-Eleven Media