The Chairman of Ughelli North local government area of Delta State, Olorogun Jaro Egbo has banned the activities of iron scavengers, popularly called ‘Iron Condemn’ in Agbarho Kingdom over disappearance of children.
The LG Chairman also set up an investigative committee to carry out a proper investigation into the matter.
Olorogun Egbo gave the directive during an enlarged security meeting in his office following the report that a suspected scavenger was caught in the process of kidnapping a child in Agbarho Kingdom.
He stated that until properly profiled, any scavenger caught in Agbarho conducting their activities should be arrested by security agencies to face the full weight of the law.
Addressing newsmen shortly after the meeting, Egbo disclosed that the purpose of the meeting was to hear directly from the people on the alleged missing children in Agbarho communities.
The investigative team has the Area Commander of Ughelli Area, ACP Adebayo as its head and mandated to find a lasting solution to the problem with a bid to avert future recurrence.
The Chairman reiterated his commitment to ensuring peace and security across the local government.
He stressed that the government was unaware of the happening since the first case of child abduction took place in December 2024, as reported by one of the affected mothers during the meeting.
Egbo called on parents, caregivers, and the general public to be vigilant at all times and to always report unsuspected faces and cases of criminal activities in their area to the security agencies.
The Chairman urged all parents to advise their children to shun the push to get-rich-quick syndrome, which has led so many youths into committing blood rituals, ‘Yahoo-Yahoo’ – advanced fee fraud 419, kidnapping, armed robbery, and other social vices.
“As against the report circulating in the media that 26 children are missing in Agbarho Kingdom, for now, we have been able to confirm seven of them. Though it’s a sad one to us, but we will ensure we do our best to go in search of them, and to put a measure in place to avert future reoccurrence.
“I have charged the security agencies to conduct proper investigation to unearth those seven children that are missing, we have taken their photograph, names of the children and that of their parents.
“We have also promised to support one of the mothers who is still in school to go back and study, and to also give two other affected mothers palliative for them to start up a business of their own for them to take care of themselves and their children, while the government and the security agencies hit the ground running in search of the children,” Egbo added.
The leadership of Agbarho women, representatives from Agbarho communities, Agbarho Royal Palace, Agbarho descendants union, and with all security agencies in the local government attended the meeting.
Others were the Ughelli Police Area Commander, Divisional Police Officers in the local government, the Nigeria Army, Department of State Services (DSS), Customs, and other security agencies.
