Panic as 11-year-old girl ‘disappears’ after visiting Ogiso River in Edo

An 11-year-old girl, identified as Victory, has gone missing after visiting Ogiso River in Edo State.

The missing girl whose parents Mr and Mrs Kingsley Obasuyi are originally from Ondo State, reportedly went missing on January 4, 2021 after she went with the children of their neighbour to the river where she allegedly drowned.

But the parents believe that one Sweet Otakpolo, popularly called Madam Sweet, had a hand in the disappearance of their child.

They also accused the police of compromising their principles with the way they have allegedly carried on with their investigation into the matter.

Obasuyi, father of the missing girl, said, “On January 4, 2021, my 11-year- old only daughter, Victory Obasuyi, was taken to Ikpoba River by Ogiso Street, Benin City, by one Madam Sweet. She came all the way from Aduwawa to visit her friend, who is also my neighbour, one Mrs. Sandra Iyore Asemota.

“Madam Sweet took a white gallon to fetch water from the Ikpoba River and took some children along with her. While going to the river for what seemed like a ritual exercise, she went along with my only daughter, Victory Obasuyi, her two children, her friend’s children, and her friend’s tenant, Mrs. Joy. Because of the construction going on in the area, there was a barricade put up by the construction company to prevent people from accessing the river.

“When they were going to the river, they didn’t inform my wife that they were taking our daughter along. When my wife asked Mrs. Sandra Iyore Asemota where our daughter was, she said our daughter and some children accompanied Madam Sweet to the river.

“Madam Sweet, Iyore Asemota and their cohorts came up with an absurd story that our only beloved daughter fell inside Ikpoba River, at the Ogiso Water Side. We ran to the river to look for my daughter, but we have not found her up until now.

“We have not seen our beloved daughter and we are in pain. The police officer in charge of legal is trying to cover up the actions of those who are responsible for what happened to our daughter because we are poor. We brought different Ijaw and Itsekiri divers to the river, who said there was no corpse in the river. They said if there was a corpse in the river there would be signs.

“We even brought some traditional persons, who also said nobody died in the river. They all asked us to tell the people who took our child to the river to produce our child as they know what happened to her. The police officer investigating the matter told us to go.

”We call on the Inspector General of Police to send a special squad to Edo State Police Command to take over the case. I call on the whole world to intervene in this matter.

”It took the intervention of well-meaning Nigerians to get the police authorities in Edo State to take the matter from IPO Edohen. It was given to OC Legal who is also exhibiting the kind of attitude displayed by the former IPO. I will fight until I get my child back.”

The Public Relations Officer of Edo State Police Command, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, who confirmed the incident, said some of the suspects were arrested but granted administrative bail while investigations were ongoing.

“The command is aware of the case of the missing child, Victory. I want to say that the matter is under the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, SCIID. A handful of suspects have been arrested during the course of the investigation. They were given administrative bail and the case is still on,” he said.