A 14-year-old housemaid, identified only as Christianah, reportedly fled with her boss’ child at Unity Estate, in Idimu area of Lagos.
Christianah and the baby, Mayowa Aweda, would later be found under the bridge in Oshodi by policemen from Bolade-Oshodi Police Division. She told the police she was sibling with the toddler and had nowhere to go. The police falsely concluded the duo were missing children and took them into their care. The police, with Christianah and Mayowa in tow, tried to search for their parents or acquaintances. But the two schools the housemaid led them to denied knowing the duo. Back at the station, Christian confessed she was advised by one Mathew to bring over the little girl. She claimed Mathew took them on his motorbike to Oshodi under-bridge, where they would sleep. He promised to join them the next day. Mathew’s plan, whatever it was, failed, as the police found and rescued the two girls.
While the police were still parading the vicinity of the two schools Christianah took them to, some neighbours sighted the missing girls. Mayowa’s parents got to know, met with the police and followed them to the station.
Mayowa’s father, Leo Aweda, said Mayowa “told them (the police) she did not understand Yoruba whereas she is from Iseyin (in Oyo State). The police thought they were taking care of abandoned children,” said Aweda.
“She deliberately avoided the school where we put her, which my daughter also attended.
“Some people told us that she might have been hypnotised by people who wanted to abduct our child. When she left home with my daughter, she did not pick any of the things we bought for her except a rechargeable lamp. While we were searching for her, someone spotted her around 9pm somewhere with our girl. The person said she had N500 with her out of which she bought a sausage roll for my daughter,” the father, added.
Aweda said the took in Christianah after they were alerted of a poor family needing help.
“We decided to put her in the same school as my child and even sent N5,000 every month to her mother. After we released her to her family, the mother has apologised to us and that the girl had admitted everything. She said it was the devil that used her,” Aweda said.
Source: Saturday PUNCH
- Adefola Ademosu
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