The Nigeria Police Force has announced that some policemen in Ogun State were arrested for demanding payment to facilitate the search for a missing seven-year-old girl, Mercy Akande.
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi revealed this information on Saturday.
Mercy Akande is the daughter of a female Point-of-Sale operator who went missing after allegedly being taken by one of her mother’s customers.
The incident occurred on December 23 and was shared on the X platform by Miyakee on December 25.
“My cousin is missing. She was kidnapped by a stranger on the 23rd of December, 2024. The mom, my aunty, does POS business at Sango, Ogun State. She has a male customer who usually comes to withdraw money and buy recharge cards,”Miyakee stated.
“He doesn’t stay in the area. He became friends with the little girl and was always buying her food and gifting her money whenever he came to the store. On the morning of the 23rd, he came to the store and bought food for himself and the little girl as usual. The mom was busy attending to other customers.
“He sent the little girl (a seven-year-old girl) to go get pure water for him. On her way back, he approached her halfway to get the pure water from her. The mom saw this and wasn’t comfortable with it but was distracted by the attention of other customers.
“By the time she turned towards the daughter’s direction to check what was happening, the guy and her daughter were nowhere to be found. They searched everywhere for them but to no avail.”
Miyakee reported that the family took the matter to a police station in Sango but was met with a demand for N40,000 from a police officer to cover the reporting and tracking fees.
In an update, Adejobi assured that the Ogun State Police Command is actively working on the case and is committed to finding the girl as soon as possible.
“Also, the policemen who demanded money before they could attend to the case have been arrested and kept in detention for disciplinary action.
“We have condemned such an act, and we won’t tolerate it. It’s inhuman, apathetic, and unprofessional.
“We urge the family of the victim to work with the police on the case,” Adejobi said.