- Employed by Mrs. Chinelo Oranu, Chidimma was dropped at school by Mrs. Oranu but never returned home
- Mrs. Oranu reported the case to Gbara Police Division, seeking help to locate Chidimma
- Chidimma’s mother, Mrs. Chinasa Nwanneka, hasn’t heard from her daughter since the disappearance
The search is on for 15-year-old Chidimma Nwanneka, who went missing in May 2023.
Chidimma, originally from Umuike Village, Agulu in Anambra State, was employed as a house help for Lagos-based businesswoman Mrs. Chinelo Oranu.
Mrs. Oranu recounted that she last dropped Chidimma at Gbara Secondary School in Jakande, Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Lekki, Lagos State, at the beginning of May. Unfortunately, Chidimma hasn’t been found or returned home since then.
Mrs. Oranu, who hails from Amudo Village, Awka, Anambra State, has reported the missing person case to the Gbara Police Division, Jakande First Gate, Eti Osa Local Government Area, Lagos State.
Expressing frustration with the lack of progress, she shared her family’s anguish over Chidimma’s disappearance, leading her to seek public assistance in locating the missing girl.
She said, “Chidimma is my maid and I also enrolled her in school. The incident happened in May 2023 and on Monday, I dropped her off at her school and gave her transportation fare to return home after school.
“When I came back home from work on the said fateful day (Monday), some minutes to 4 pm, I did not see her at home, so I began to search for her. I contacted her school and I was told that all the students have left the school compound for their various homes.
“Prior to the disappearance of Chidimma, we had a problem with her mother who worked as a chef in our hotels and we suspended her mother for a week. Her disappearance happened exactly on the day of the expiration of the suspension we handed her mother.
“I have reached out to her mother to ask her if she was aware of the disappearance of her daughter from our custody, but she said no. Although her schoolmates attested that she came to school on the said day she didn’t return home.
“Thereafter, I reported the case to Gbara Police Division, Jakande, First Gate, Lagos State for proper documentation and investigation, but to date, the girl has not been traced. I am so traumatised by the ugly incident and this is why I restored to using the media to convey the message of finding her.”
In her words, the mother of the missing girl, who gave her name as Mrs Chinasa Nwanneka, said she has not heard from her daughter since her disappearance in May.
Nwanneka said, “The only information I have in this case is that my daughter complained that she was tired of living with Mrs Oranu, but I encouraged her to be patient. I am not aware of her disappearance and I have not heard from her since then.
“All I am asking is the bringing back of my daughter to Awka. I called on the Police and the general public to assist us in this case.”
When approached, Alhaja Alaka, the I.P.O at Gbara Police Division in Lekki, confirmed that Mrs. Oranu had reported a missing person case involving Chidinma Mary Nwanneka. The case was transferred to the Lagos State Police Command in May 2023 for further action, as preliminary investigations suggested Chidinma might have been abducted by an unidentified person. Alhaja Alaka advised all parties to maintain the current status.
On the other hand, the Lagos State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, expressed unawareness of the case. Hundeyin promised to investigate the matter and get back, but it has been days now, since the PPRO made the promise, and he has neither called nor responded to text messages sent to his telephone line.