A 12-year-old pupil has been abducted in the Challenge area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, triggering a swift response from security agencies.
The Oyo State Police Command confirmed the incident saying the girl was allegedly kidnapped in the early hours of the day while on her way to school.
According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ayanlade Olayinka, the pupil, a student of a private secondary school in the area, was abducted at a junction leading to her school premises.
“The Oyo State Police Command confirms an incident of suspected kidnapping reported in the Challenge area of Ibadan in the early hours of today,” Olayinka said.
He explained that preliminary findings revealed that the schoolgirl was seized by unknown armed men as she alighted from a vehicle that conveyed her to school.
“Preliminary information indicates that a 12-year-old female student of a private secondary school in the area was allegedly abducted by unknown armed men at a junction leading to the school premises as she was alighting from a vehicle that conveyed her to school,” the statement added.
The Command disclosed that the case was promptly reported and that detectives were immediately deployed to the scene for assessment and fact-finding.
“Eyewitnesses at the scene were identified and questioned, and their accounts are providing valuable leads to assist ongoing investigations,” the police noted.
The police also confirmed that the victim’s parents have been contacted and are working closely with investigators as efforts intensify to secure the safe rescue of the child.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State has ordered a comprehensive, intelligence-driven investigation into the incident.
“All possibilities and options are being explored to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident and bring those responsible to justice,” the Command said.
The police appealed to members of the public to remain calm and support ongoing investigations by providing credible information, assuring that all tips would be treated with the utmost confidentiality.
