Following the alleged mysterious disappearance of 26 children in Agbarho communities in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, the Chairman of the council, Olorogun Jaro Egbo, has banned the activities of iron scavengers in Agbarho Kingdom.

He also set up an investigative team to properly investigate the development.

Egbo, who convened a security meeting to hear directly from the people on the missing children, said the investigative team, headed by the Ughelli Area Commander, ACP Ademola Adebayo, would find a lasting solution to the problem and avert future recurrence.

The enlarged security meeting comprised the leadership of Agbarho women, representatives from Agbarho communities, Agbarho Royal Palace, Agbarho Descendants Union, and all security agencies in the local government, including the Ughelli Police Area Commander, DPOs of all the divisions in the local government, the Nigerian Army, DSS, Customs, NSCDC, Immigration, and local vigilante groups, among others, to carry out a proper investigation into the matter.

“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 for us, we will ensure we do our best to go in search of them and put measures in place to avert future recurrence.

“I have charged the security agencies to conduct a proper investigation to unearth those seven children that are missing. We have taken their photographs, names of the children, and those 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 palliatives for them to start up a business of their own so they can take care of themselves and their children, while the government and the security agencies hit the ground running in search of the children,” Egbo said.

He stressed that the government was unaware of the happenings since the first case of child abduction took place in December 2024, as reported by one of the affected mothers during the meeting.

Egbo disclosed that he decided to ban the activities of scavengers, popularly known as “Iron Condemned,” following a report that a suspected scavenger was caught in the process of kidnapping a child in Agbarho Kingdom.

He stated that until the scavengers are properly profiled in Agbarho Kingdom, any scavenger caught in Agbarho conducting their activities will be arrested by security agencies and prosecuted.

The chairman urged 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.

He also cautioned 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 or advance fee fraud, kidnapping, armed robbery, and other social vices. (The Guardian)