By Oluwatosin Maliki
In Lagos, a distressed father identified as Olasunkanmi Adeyemi, has lamented over the sudden disappearance of his nine-year-old son, Emmanuel Adeyemi.
Adeyemi, who spoke to newsmen on Tuesday, explained that his child went missing during an evangelical outreach in the Orile-Agege area of the state on November 19th.
While narrating the incident, he disclosed that the situation has plunged his family into pain and agony.
Adeyemi also explained, “We went for an evangelism outreach three weeks ago on Sunday with a church where we go to pray. While in church, my wife brought him (Emmanuel) to me and I took him to the bus where the other children were staying. I sat him down and quickly went to buy a drink for him because he was ill. It wasn’t only my child who was in the bus; there were many other children there. After I gave him the drink, I went to the bus we were to go on and we began the journey. Their bus was at the front while ours was following it.”
“When we got to a place, we were given powdered milk and I went to the bus where my child was to give him but upon calling his name repeatedly, I was told there was no Emmanuel in the bus. I was shocked and asked the driver about my son’s whereabouts. He then told me a woman was carrying some children into another bus.”
He stated, “The driver said it seemed some children had been taken to church and that I should go there to check for my son. When I got to the church, I couldn’t find him. Some people were saying some children were looking for their parents. Unfortunately, when I got there too, my son wasn’t among them. It was just like a dream to me. Immediately, on the same day, the driver and I hailed a tricycle to report to the police station.”
Additionally, Adeyemi disclosed that the case was quickly reported at the Elere Police Station in the Agege area of Lagos State, noting that since then, the police had yet to find his missing son.
“Even as I am talking to you right now, I am sick, feeling dizzy and devastated. I’m not getting myself unless I find my child,” saying that her wife had just been discharged from the hospital due to the unfortunate incident,” he noted.
Meanwhile, it was reportedly said that the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, could not be reached as calls made to his phone rang out, and a message sent to his line was yet to be responded to.
Although, the incident was confirmed by a police source who knew about the case. According to him, the child was missing and an investigation is ongoing to locate the missing boy.
“It is true that the boy is missing, and investigation is ongoing to ascertain his whereabouts. The boy’s parent had been called at the headquarters for further interview,” the source explained.