By Austin Ogwuda
… angry mob sets ablaze suspected woman found with a child concealed in a bag
… Delta Police Command keeps mum
… Senator Dafinone charges security forces to brace up
The bizzare disappearance of children virtually on a daily basis in Agborho, Ughelli North local government area of Delta State, South South, Nigeria has assumed another dimension as many parents have resorted to keeping their children indoors for fear of the unknown.
As a result, some school children have not reported to school since recent resumption from holidays.
Recall that sometime this month, aggrieved protesters made up of residents and families of victims whose children are still missing staged a protest.
They barricaded major roads, paralysing business activities as most shops and offices were shut.
The protesters later stormed the palace of the Osuvie (king) of Agbarho Kingdom and the Agbarho police station to register their plight over sad development.
They claimed that over 40 children have been abducted so far.
According to them, “Children are abducted virtually every week in this community. Parents no longer sleep with their eyes closed”.
They also accused the Police of complacency, alleging that some Police officers demanded ₦100,000 to commence investigations.
The situation got to the head on Wednesday this week when an angry mob set ablaze a woman accused of attempting to steal a 7-year-old boy, concealed in a bag.
Senator Dafinone reacts
The Senator representing Delta Central in the Senate, Senator Ede Dafinone, on Wednesday raised alarm over the child abduction saga and suggested the way forward, just as he condemned the option of self help (mob action)
In a ‘tearful’ press statement, he wrote thus:
“I am deeply alarmed by the disturbing wave of child abductions in Agbarho, Ughelli North Local Government Area, which falls within the Delta Central Senatorial District I represent. Reports show that in recent months, more than six children—many between the ages of three and ten—have gone missing, leaving families devastated and the community in fear.
This crisis, which spiked in June with four disappearances, sparked protests by aggrieved women on September 16 and culminated tragically on September 24 when a mob lynched a woman accused of attempted kidnapping. While the community’s frustration is understandable, such acts of jungle justice only deepen the crisis and risk innocent lives.
To the grieving families, I extend my heartfelt condolences and solidarity. Your pain is our collective burden, and I pledge to continue pressing for answers and justice at the highest levels of government. Every missing child is a future we cannot afford to lose, and I will not relent until they are found and safety is restored.
I call on the Delta State Police Command, Ughelli Area Command, and relevant federal agencies to intensify investigations, strengthen patrols, and work closely with NAPTIP to dismantle any networks behind these abductions—whether ritual or trafficking-related. The recent rescue of eight trafficked children in Delta proves that proactive measures can work. I also urge community leaders, under the guidance of the Ovie of Agbarho, to sustain vigilance through neighbourhood watches, parental awareness, and partnerships with schools.
Let us resist jungle justice and instead channel our anger into unity, vigilance, and cooperation with law enforcement. As your Senator, I remain committed to pursuing stronger security interventions and legislative safeguards for Delta Central. Together, we will overcome this menace and restore peace to Agbarho, Ughelli North, and our beloved Delta State.
Senator Ede Dafinone,
Delta Central Senatorial District
25th, September, 2025.
Delta Police Command keeps mum
Meantime, efforts to get comments from the State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer PPRO Bright Edafe a Superintendent of Police SP on the issue especially the setting of the woman suspect ablaze, were unsuccessful.
