By Yemi Akinsuyi
The Federal Capital Territory, FCT Police Command has recovered a four-year-old boy, who was stolen from his school in Port Harcourt, Rivers state with his mother in Abuja after two months.
According to the FCT Police Command Spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, a dramatic real-life story unfolded recently involving a suspect named Blessing Okoi, the incident started on 31 october when Miss Lydia Jonah Gabriel reported the disappearance of her 4-year-old son, Hope Evans, from Community Primary School Azubie in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
According to school officials, an unidentified woman, later identified as Blessing Okoi, lured Hope away from the school premises at approximately 1:28 PM by offering him biscuits and eggs.
The woman, who was not known to the school management, managed to leave with Hope unnoticed.
The disappearance was only discovered later that evening when the child’s family could not locate him.
Upon realizing her son was missing, Miss Lydia Jonah, alongside family members, visited the school to gather more information.
They discovered that the woman who took Hope was known locally as “Destiny’s mum.”
However, upon visiting the residence of Destiny, the family learned that the suspect had hurriedly vacated the premises on the same night, 31st October.
On 1st November 2024, the family revisited the school and spoke with the principal. Several students identified the woman as Destiny’s mother, prompting the family to report the matter to the Trans Amadi Police Station. The case was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.
On suspicion that the suspect may have escaped to Abuja, the younger sister of the victim’s mother came to report the matter at the FCT Police Command where the FCT Police Command Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu ordered immediate investigation.
Following a detailed investigation, police tracked the movements of the suspect, Blessing Okoi, to Maraba, Abuja.
After over two weeks of persistent efforts, she was arrested on 29th November 2024, at approximately 8:00 PM, and the four years old Hope Evans was rescued after over two months abduction .
During questioning, Blessing Okoi initially claimed to be Hope’s biological mother, referring to him as “David Evans.”
However, her claims were inconsistent with information provided by the victim’s mother who confirmed that her son’s name was Hope Evans, as she further presented recent photographs of Hope as evidence of their relationship.
The suspect Blessing Okoi confirmed that she actually changed the boy’s name to David and has started calling him so.
Investigation revealed that the suspect, Blessing Okoi, convinced his former lover named Evans that he was the father of the abducted young man, adding that the boybwas the result of the pregnancy he had for him some years back . The boyfriend accepted the boy as his own.
Another twist to the case was that the suspect was found with another young boy whom she claimed was hers but that the father has died.
The FCT command contacted the mother who arrived Abuja 6/12/24.
The Joy of the mother and son knows no bounds as they saw eye to eye after two months and were subsequently reunited in the office of the Commissioner of Police.
The commissioner of police FCT used the occasion to advise School owners to pay necessary attention to the safety of children put in their care by parents.
He further praised the officers who achieved this wonderful feat
“The suspect’s arrest was achieved through meticulous tracking of her movements and interviews with witnesses. The child, Hope Evans, was unharmed and has since been reunited with his family.
“Blessing Okoi remains in
police custody undergoing further questioning and would be charged to court accordingly”, FCT Police Command Spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh said.
