So-Safe rescues 3 missing siblings found sleeping at Arepo railway bridge
Ogun State Community, Social Orientation and Safety Corps, known as So-Safe Corps, successfully rescued three siblings who had been missing from their home in Ifote Village, located in the Ifo Local Government Area. The children, ages 13, 8, and 6, were discovered sleeping under the Arepo railway bridge shortly after 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday following an overnight search effort.
According to reports, their father, Mr. Shittu Dauda, a 45-year-old bricklayer, filed a missing persons report around 9:45 p.m. on Monday after the children had been unaccounted for since approximately 3 p.m. earlier that day. Mr. Dauda stated he had instructed the children to go to school for registration before leaving for work, but upon returning, he found they had taken their belongings and left home.
Local residents indicated that the children intended to travel to Arepo, where their mother resides. In response to the report, SC Jinadu Okikiola, the Divisional Officer of Onireke Division, quickly assembled a team to search various areas, including Ifote, Oloparun, Shonekan, Shofowote, Seriki, and Kajola, before extending their efforts to Arepo.
The siblings were located at the railway bridge and were returned to their community around 2:30 a.m. Both parents were subsequently invited to the Onireke Division for questioning and counseling. During discussions with law enforcement, it was revealed that the parents had been experiencing marital issues, which may have impacted their ability to supervise the children adequately. The eldest sibling stated that she had made the decision to leave home with her younger siblings on her own.
The Divisional Officer advised the parents on the importance of resolving their differences and ensuring the children’s safety, cautioning that any future incidents exposing the children to danger could result in legal actions. He also emphasized the need for community members to promptly report any instances of underage children wandering or traveling alone to security agencies, rather than merely questioning them.
Commander Soji Ganzallo, the State Commander of So-Safe Corps, praised the officers for their swift response and successful rescue operation.
