A nine-year-old girl, identified simply as Patience, who went missing at Rotras Crescent in the Meiran area of Lagos State, was found in the Sango-Ota area of Ogun State on Tuesday following a report by PUNCH Metro.
PUNCH Metro reported on Tuesday that the guardians of the minor sought help to locate her whereabouts after eight days since her disappearance was reported at the police division in the area.
The young girl had reportedly left the house on March 31, 2024, to return a food warmer to a neighbour who lives just a few metres from the guardians’ house.
One of Patience’s guardians, Mrs Esther Olabiyi, had said on Monday, “At this time, our cleaners were cleaning the house, so we had to retire to the room. I woke up around 5.15pm and asked the cleaners where she was. They said she told them she wanted to return the food warmer to the owner. This was the last I heard of her. So, I said she didn’t know the woman’s house; how could she have returned the warmer?
“We have been looking for her since then. But when it became so serious, we had to go and report to the Meiran division of the police. We have been coming and going since then. On Friday, I had to travel to her village. They said they had not seen her.”
However, while speaking with our correspondent on Tuesday, Olabiyi confirmed that the young girl was found at the Sango-Ota Police Division in Ogun State, where she had been for days before Tuesday’s PUNCH report.
She said, “We have found her at Sango Police Station in Ogun State. They said she had been at the place since Sunday.”
Meanwhile, Esther’s husband, identified simply as Pastor Olabiyi, expressed the family’s excitement and commended PUNCH Metro for the publication, which led to the discovery of the nine-year-old girl’s whereabouts.
“We have found her. My wife is currently with her. She went to pick her up at the police station. Thank you. We appreciate it,” Pastor Olabiyi commended PUNCH Metro.
Also, a senior police officer at Meiran Division, where the matter was reported, confirmed to PUNCH Metro that the nine-year-old girl had been found.
“Yes, she has been found. She was found in Sango-Ota,” the cop simply stated.
