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Godfrey George writes on the controversy surrounding the disappearance of a 15-year-old woman, Confidence Awele, who left residence on Sunday, August 8, 2022, allegedly to affix one Aunty Oge, who promised to take her to Malaysia for hook-up (prostitution)
It’s nonetheless like a dream for the Ezechies how their 15-year-old daughter, Confidence Awelle-Ezechie, abruptly disappeared from residence on August 7, 2022.
Her aunt, Juliet, with whom she lived in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, mentioned she ‘jokingly’ advised her siblings that she was headed for Malaysia with one Aunty Oge.
Juliet, a Delta-State indigene, regarded like she simply noticed a ghost whereas she spoke to our correspondent.
Her voice shook; her fingers quaked.
A younger woman put in her care went lacking proper underneath her watch and she or he had no concept the place she might be.
“I don’t know the place to start from. My life is completed,” she began.
“How do I current this to the general public? What do I say? Confidence was given to me by her mother and father to handle her. See what my good has carried out to me,” she cried, utilizing the scarf wrapped round her neck to wipe the tears that trickled down her cheeks.
From village to metropolis
The 37-year-old mom of 1 mentioned she picked up Confidence from the village when she went for a vacation a number of years in the past.
Based on her, Confidence’s mother and father begged her to take the woman to Port Harcourt, the place she was based mostly, to affix her in her hairdressing commerce.
“Her mom mentioned she was cussed and by no means used to do any home chores at residence, and she or he used to struggle her each time she complained. Then, Confidence was nearly 9 years previous.
“I used to be in shock when the mom advised me that Confidence used to struggle her. The younger woman was about to jot down her Widespread Entrance Examination into Junior Secondary Secondary at the moment. Once I spoke to her, she advised me that her mom wished to pressure her to enter auxiliary nursing towards her want however she wished to additional her training.
“I spoke to the mother about it however she defined that she didn’t have the funds to additional Confidence’s training and requested that I helped out,” she mentioned.
Juliet mentioned after some dialogue, she agreed to take {the teenager} to Port Harcourt.
“Everybody else aside from my dad was conscious of the settlement to take Confidence with me aside from my dad, Confidence’s uncle. I knew he wouldn’t purchase the thought of me taking his brother’s youngster to Port Harcourt from Delta. However I took the chance for my household. I noticed a woman who wanted assist and I supplied to assist her,” she added.
On attending to Port Harcourt, Juliet mentioned she requested Confidence what she wished to do for a dwelling and she or he mentioned she wished to go to highschool.
Juliet mentioned she then put her in a faculty.
“She was simply 9 years previous then. She lived with me for nearly six years earlier than her unlucky disappearance.
“We by no means had any points. I gave her no matter she wished. I’ve my different kinfolk, who’re ladies and my son, who’s round 17 years previous, at residence. So, they have been at all times collectively at residence.
“I even needed to change her college to that of the opposite youngsters so she can be near them. I didn’t need any points with unhealthy associates.
“My mum’s household has a home round Ogbunabali; so, generally, they might be there together with her and go to highschool collectively. They’re at all times collectively,” she said.
Dangerous affect
All issues started to alter when Juliet noticed Confidence with an android telephone at some point when {the teenager} visited her salon.
Shocked by this, she requested how she was capable of afford a telephone at age 15, and Confidence mentioned it was her elder brother within the village that received it for her.
“I used to be not satisfied. I referred to as her mother to talk to the brother. They advised me they each despatched cash to her account and she or he received the telephone,” she added.
Nonetheless not satisfied, she grilled the younger woman to make certain there was no cover-up between her mom and brother.
Pissed off by inconsistent responses from Confidence, Juliet mentioned she smashed the telephone.
“I advised her I wouldn’t give her that sort of telephone at that time. I used to be mad at her as a result of I felt if her brother despatched her cash, she ought to have opened as much as me earlier than doing no matter she wished with it. I additional canned her that day and she or he apologised,” she said.
One other day, Juliet mentioned she noticed Confidence on the road of their residence at night time with two unusual boys, chatting and laughing.
Uncertain of who she was seeing, Juliet mentioned she wound down her automotive aspect window and noticed it was her cousin.
“I got here down from the automotive in anger and dragged her residence. The boys fled. When she received residence, I spanked her and threatened to ship her again to the village.
“After that day, we had a dialogue the place I requested her if she was nonetheless a virgin and I used to be shocked when she advised me that she was raped when she was youthful.
“I needed to name the mother to substantiate this, however the mother mentioned Confidence was mendacity. I used to be so offended that I grounded her for 4 days,” she added.
Juliet mentioned to get the reality of the matter, she referred to as a gathering with the opposite youngsters who opened up that Confidence had been bringing a boy residence each time she was away.
“I used to be shocked how such a factor would go on proper in my residence with out me figuring out. I knew I used to be busy, but it surely was unbelievable the issues the youngsters advised me Confidence did each time I used to be away.
“I felt chilly as a result of I didn’t imagine such a younger woman would do such a factor to herself and to me, who introduced her from the village to get a greater life within the metropolis of Port Harcourt,” she mentioned with an enormous sigh.
Juliet mentioned she was fed up. Confidence had received to go. She referred to as the younger woman’s mom and a date was organized for her to be returned to the village.
Surprisingly, Confidence began crying, begging her aunt to not ship her again.
“My concern was that if I left her with me in Port Harcourt, she would possibly get pregnant, and the entire world would blame me for it. Nobody would have a look at all the nice issues I had carried out; they might nail me to the cross,” she added.
She didn’t know that the worst was across the nook.
After many pleas, Confidence promised to show a brand new leaf.
“Her mom additionally begged me to permit her stick with me, noting that she would change. I’ve at all times taken Confidence as my daughter. Anybody who requested me who she was to me, I advised them she was my daughter. Folks even thought I had two youngsters due to the way in which I handled her. I by no means let any hurt come to her,” the girl added.
Again to regular?
On Friday, August 6, 2022, Juliet took her son and Confidence to a commencement ceremony in a faculty close by.
The following day, Confidence awakened early, took some cash from her aunty, stuffed the cooking gasoline and cooked some jollof rice.
Juliet famous that she moved completely together with her (Juliet’s) mom so she might be nearer to Confidence.
Based on her, if the lease expired, she would lease a brand new three-bedroom condominium in one other location so she, her son, Confidence, her mother and different kinfolk would stay underneath one roof.
All that can not be doable on Sunday, August 7, Confidence left the home and by no means returned.
Juliet’s son had woken up earlier and ready to go for a live performance within the first service of his church and Confidence had requested that the boy give her his telephone for her to do ‘one or two issues’.
Juliet mentioned the plan was to attend the third service by 9.30am with Confidence however she was shocked when she realised that Confidence was nowhere to be discovered.
“I referred to as my mother, who had left for church since 6am, and she or he advised me that it was Confidence that ironed the white garment she wore that morning to the service. I used to be confused.
“I referred to as my son and he advised me that Confidence awakened very early within the morning and took out her bedspread and washed it. It was shocking as a result of I used to be at all times the one who reminded her to do home chores and she or he grumbled each time she did.
“I assumed she had gone on a kind of mindless walks on the street so I slept solely to get up later to search out out that she nonetheless wasn’t residence. I began to fret. Whereas I ready for church, I used to be nonetheless scared something would have occurred.
“I referred to as my grandmother, who lived not too distant from us, and she or he mentioned she hadn’t seen her.
“The final one who noticed her mentioned he noticed her with a bucket going to unfold some bedsheets she washed.
“I went out myself and confirmed that she certainly washed her bedsheet but it surely turned even scarier,” she said.
She might not go to church anymore as she had begun to go from shop-to-shop, house-to-house, asking concerning the whereabouts of her cousin.
By the point her son got here again from church within the afternoon and Confidence was not residence, it turned clear that she had gone lacking.
Juliet mentioned she instantly referred to as Confidence’s mom to substantiate if she was in Delta State however the mom mentioned she was not.
She mentioned the girl advised her to take it simple, assuring her that Confidence would return residence.
“I advised myself that after she got here again from wherever it was that she went to, I might ‘waybill’ her again to her mother and father earlier than she put me in hassle.
“It has been six months since, and I haven’t seen her,” she said.
Within the warmth of the second, Juliet mentioned she went to the Elekahia Police Division, Port Harcourt, and the lads on responsibility advised her to attend for twenty-four hours earlier than the case can be registered.
“I went again to the station the subsequent day, however earlier than I did so, I referred to as the younger man, whom I used to be advised was her boyfriend, on the telephone, however he didn’t choose up. I needed to textual content him and say he ought to ship Confidence again to me so I might take her again to her mother and father. He responded, saying she was not with him.
“I needed to name all the youngsters who lived with me and different kinfolk, who got here round to go to to come back residence for a gathering as a result of I smelt a rat.
“I threatened to arrest all of them and lock them up. That was after they began singing like a chicken. I assumed Confidence was pregnant, which was why she ran away.
“They unanimously advised me that Confidence advised them that she met one woman, named Oge, who promised to take her to Malaysia for ‘hook up’. These have been their precise phrases.
“I virtually fainted as a result of I didn’t know these youngsters knew what ‘hook up’ meant. I used to be so confused that I started to shed sizzling tears,” Juliet defined.
She mentioned the youngsters confirmed that the 15-year-old advised them that when she received to Malaysia, she can be sending them cash.
“Once I heard that, my head exploded. I needed to name her mother to tell her. The mother didn’t even wish to hear something about it. She simply advised me to, please, do no matter I might and go away the remainder for God.
“It’s like my life has been placed on pause as a result of I can not give attention to my enterprise anymore. What if this younger woman is already in Malaysia? What if they’re going by street? What if she is lifeless? A number of what-ifs occupied my thoughts. I used to be scared,” Juliet added.
On August 8, Juliet visited the Police station once more to jot down a press release.
The opposite youngsters have been additionally there to clarify to the Divisional Police Officer all they knew concerning the matter and what Confidence allegedly mentioned.
Police start investigation
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Grace Iringe-Koko, when contacted by our correspondent on Tuesday, mentioned the case was being investigated.
She promised to make sure the younger woman was discovered.
She additional suggested mother and father to observe their youngsters’s whereabouts in order that they might not be lured by exterior forces to do evil.
“The Rivers Police Command is on high of the case and we’ll guarantee that we discover the younger woman. Now we have deployed our males after talking to the household of the lacking woman and we’ll make sure that we observe them down anyplace,” she added.
Mom laments disappearance
Mrs Chidinma Awele, Confidence’s mom, when contacted, sounded distraught.
She mentioned she had not been herself since she learnt of the unhealthy information.
She, nonetheless, burdened that she didn’t blame Juliet, saying Confidence had at all times been a ‘problematic’ youngster.
“Confidence has been a cussed youngster so I’m not shocked she would do such a factor. I’m simply afraid that she might need been deceived and is perhaps within the incorrect fingers.
“For six months now, I’ve not seen her. It’s traumatising for us all. My husband is blaming me. I don’t know what to do proper now.
“I’ve visited some prayer homes they usually assured me that my daughter was nonetheless alive and can be discovered. I’ve spent cash paying prophets and prophetesses. I need my daughter again. The federal government ought to assist me,” she added.
An educationist and youngster rights skilled, Mr Ikechukwu Onuoha, mentioned youngsters might be simply deceived due to their adventurous nature.
“Make your youngsters your pals. Make them belief you to allow them to let you know if anybody is attempting to lure them with wrongdoing. Don’t let your youngsters develop too distant from you,” he mentioned.
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