By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Two suspected gunmen have reportedly abducted a four-month-old baby at gunpoint in the Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
It was learnt that the incident occurred at about 3:00 am on Saturday morning, May 4, 2024, in their family house near the PCN Primary School in East Itam.
The baby’s father, Udeme Eyo, of Enen-Atai village in Itu LGA, have sent a Save Our Soul (SOS) to the security agencies to do all within their powers to recover his baby.
The baby’s father said his family was startled by a loud bang on the door at about 3 am on Saturday when two hefty men stormed their bedroom and demanded for their baby.
“I was half asleep when I heard the bang on the door. I jumped out of bed, but the door was pulled to the ground with force. Two strange men entered and demanded my son. As a man, I tried to stop them, but they brought out guns and machetes. I struggled,” he narrated.
“They seized the child from my wife, who was screaming, kicked her aside, and made away with the baby. When I rushed out to raise an alarm to alert my neighbours, I saw them zoom off in a car that was parked about a pole away.
“As I speak, my wife is completely traumatised. We lost our first child at about the same age, and now that she was being consoled by the new baby boy, this has happened. I’m completely confused,” Mr. Eyo lamented.
The village head of the community, Prof. Efanga Usua, who spoke on the situation, expressed fear and disappointment, saying that such an occurrence was strange in the area until recently, when a mentally deranged woman was dispossessed of her baby by unknown bike men.
He said plans are underway to call a meeting of the East Itam Northern Traditional Rulers to find a lasting solution to such frightening occurrences
According to him, the issue is with the police, even as an investigation is ongoing to unravel the mystery behind the abducted child.
The Divisional Crime Officer (DCO), Ayadehe Police Station, Itu LGA, Bokime Bassey, when contacted, said the matter had been reported since Saturday, and police were not resting as an investigation was ongoing to make sure perpetrators of the evil act were brought to justice.
“Yes, we know about the issue; it was reported. We are on top of the situation. Even this morning, we were in that village, and we are making progress,” the DCO stated.