Tension has gripped residents of Ode-Irele in Ondo State following the mysterious disappearance of a 3-year-old boy, Adeola Olayemi, under circumstances that have sparked controversy in the community.
The toddler, said to be a pupil of a private nursery and primary school in the area, reportedly went missing from his grandmother’s residence on Gbeleju Street in the ancient town.
Family sources disclosed that the child, described as cheerful and lively, had been living with his grandmother before the incident occurred.
According to reports, the grandmother, who is currently in police custody to aid investigations, allegedly hosted a female visitor in the neighbourhood on the day the child disappeared.
The visitor was said to have had a disagreement with her boyfriend, who also resides in the community, after which she reportedly sought temporary shelter at the grandmother’s residence.
Residents alleged that the woman later disappeared alongside the child and has since been declared wanted by the police.
The development has thrown the family and residents of the community into distress as efforts to trace the missing boy have so far yielded no result.
The incident was subsequently reported at the Nigeria Police Force divisional station in Irele, leading to the arrest of the 64-year-old grandmother and two neighbours invited for questioning.
Speaking on the development, a family member, Michael Obatuga, lamented that all attempts to locate the child had failed.
He described the incident as traumatic and painful for the family, adding that it had revived memories of a similar occurrence previously recorded in the community.
Obatuga appealed to security agencies, government officials, religious leaders and members of the public to support efforts aimed at finding the missing child.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, Olayinka Ayanlade, said detectives had intensified investigations into the matter.
According to him, two suspects had been arrested and were assisting the police 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,” the police spokesperson stated.
He also appealed to members of the public to remain calm and provide useful information that could assist ongoing investigations.
