In Abuja, a Missing Child From Port Harcourt School Was Found.

The Police Command of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has announced that a 4-year-old child named Hope Evans, who was recently reported missing in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, has been located in Abuja. In a statement released on Sunday, the command's spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, disclosed that Hope was reported missing by his mother, Ms. Lydia Jonah Gabriel, on October 31, 2024. The statement detailed that the alarming incident took place around 2 PM when Ms. Lydia raised concerns about her child's absence, who was anticipated to return from the community primary school in Azube, Port Harcourt. According to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), a suspect identified as Blessing Okoi, currently in custody, allegedly enticed the child away from the school grounds by offering him biscuits and eggs. Josephine noted, “The woman, unfamiliar to the school authorities, managed to leave with Hope without being noticed until the evening when the family could not find him.” She further stated, “Upon realizing her son was missing, Ms. Lydia, accompanied by family members, went to the school to seek additional information.” The PPRO indicated that it was then revealed that the individual who took Hope from the school was locally recognized as Destiny’s mother. However, when the family visited the suspect's residence, they learned that she had quickly vacated the premises that same night. Josephine reported that the child's family subsequently filed a report at the Trans Amadi police station. The case was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a more thorough and prompt investigation. Josephine elaborated that, suspecting the individual may have fled to Abuja, the victim’s younger sister reported the incident to the FCT police command. She stated that the Police Commissioner in the FCT, CP Olatunji Disu, has ordered an immediate investigation. Following a thorough investigation, law enforcement officials were able to trace the movements of the suspect, Blessing Okoi, to Maraba, a suburb of Abuja, where she was apprehended on November 29. She stated, “At around 8 PM that evening, the 4-year-old Hope Evans was successfully rescued. “The suspect had previously asserted that she was the child’s mother; however, her statements were inconsistent with the information provided by the victim’s actual mother.” Josephine further noted that the command subsequently reached out to the child’s mother, who arrived in Abuja on November 6, leading to the reunion of the child with her mother.