Anxiety has gripped residents of Ode-Irele, headquarters of Irele Local Government Area of Ondo State, following the mysterious disappearance of a three-year-old boy, Adeola Olayemi.
As reported by The Hope, The toddler, said to be a pupil of a private nursery and primary school in the community, reportedly vanished under unclear circumstances, leaving family members and residents worried over his whereabouts.
Sources within the family said the child lived with his grandmother on Gbeleju Street in the ancient town before the incident occurred.
The disappearance, according to residents, has sparked controversy and suspicion within the community, especially following allegations surrounding a female visitor who reportedly stayed with the grandmother shortly before the boy went missing.
The visitor was said to have been accommodated by the grandmother after reportedly having a disagreement with her boyfriend, who also resides in the area.
Family sources alleged that the woman later disappeared alongside the child and has since been declared wanted by the police.
The development has thrown the family into distress as efforts to trace the whereabouts of the missing boy have so far yielded no result.
The matter was subsequently reported at the divisional police station in Irele, leading to the arrest of the child’s 64-year-old grandmother and two neighbours invited for questioning in connection with the incident.
A family member, Michael Obatuga, described the incident as painful and traumatic, lamenting that repeated efforts to locate the child had been unsuccessful.
He said the situation had revived memories of a similar incident previously recorded in the community.
Obatuga described Adeola as a lively and cheerful child loved by members of the family and appealed to the police and relevant authorities to intensify efforts to rescue him.
He also called on religious leaders, the government, and well-meaning Nigerians to support the search for the missing child.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, Jimoh Abayomi, confirmed the incident and disclosed that investigations were ongoing.
According to him, two suspects had been arrested and were assisting detectives in unraveling the circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance.
“Following the report, detectives have intensified efforts to rescue the child and unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident. Meanwhile, two suspects have been apprehended,” he said.
Abayomi appealed to members of the public to remain calm and provide useful information that could assist ongoing investigations.
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