Family members of a missing four-year-old girl, Elo Ogidi,
were overjoyed on Friday after she was found in an orphanage in Benin, Edo
State.
Elo was reportedly stolen from the Christ Embassy in Oregun,
Ikeja, Lagos State, during a church service she attended in company with her
parents and their housemaid on Sunday, July 8, 2018.
Elo’s father, Okpogene Ogidi, who confirmed the development
to Saturday PUNCH on Friday, said some suspects were also arrested.
The girl was with the maid during the church’s children
thanksgiving service when she suddenly disappeared.
It was reported that the maid had gone to get Elo and her
two siblings some slices of cake shared at the thanksgiving, but did not meet
the girl on her seat when she returned.
A child, who also attended the programme, claimed to have
seen a woman taking Elo away.
The case was reported at the Alausa Police Station and was
later transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the State Criminal
Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba.
Our correspondent gathered that the girl was traced to Benin
by the police on Friday while some suspects were arrested in connection with
her abduction.
Her father, Okpogene, who spoke briefly with our
correspondent on the telephone, said he had yet to be fully briefed on how she
got to Benin.
He said, “She was found in Benin. We are going to pick her
at the Edo State Police Command on Saturday (today). She was found in an
orphanage. After it was reported in the media, somebody identified her and
informed me.
“The police were alerted and she was found at the orphanage
this evening (Friday). We are very
excited. I don’t have more details for now. I will get back to you.”
