Following the disappearance of over nine children in the area, communities of Ogoni ethnic nationality in Rivers State are in a state of fear.
According to a source, the heinous pattern began three weeks ago, and over nine children have gone missing in that time.
The source yesterday said five children have disappeared in Bera community, Gokokana Local Government Area of the state.
The source, who did not want his name in print, hinted that two children were earlier declared missing in Nweola community and two in Mogho all in Gokana, urging parents to keep eyes on their children.
The source said: The rate of missing children in Ogoni is alarming. Today, Saturday, I have been informed that five children have been declared missing in the Bera community, two missing in Nweol and two cases reported in Mogho. Please keep an eye on your children.”
The President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke, confirmed the development of suspected ritual activities, adding that MOSOP has started a sanitization process to end the ugly trend.
He said: “We are trying to see what we can do by liaison with traditional rulers to bring the situation under control because it is alarming. In Bera, five children are missing, Nweol 2 children the last one that happened two weeks ago, Mogho two children. It appears if your go round you will have more updates.
“These ones I have personally confirmed that these children are missing. Like one of the incidents in Bera, somebody came and sent an elderly person with the child on an errand and by the time he came back her brother was missing. This is happening.
“I think the development tends toward ritual activities. It is up to the traditional institutions to rise up and do something. Secondly. We need to call a meeting of all the chapters of MOSOP and commence a community-based sensitization so that people can know that these things are happening so they can be vigilant. Education is crucial and people have to be vigilant.
“The police get to know what you report to them and most cases before you report to the police that incident has happened.
“All these reports happened in Gokona LGA we have not had any report from any other axis. The number of missing children is high it is not like we are missing just one child. Something wrong.”
When contacted at press time, the Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe_Koko, a Superintendent of Police, said the DPO (District Police Officer) in the area said only one case of missing child has been reported.