Kidnapping is a terrible crime that has left many families shattered. While some people may be fortunate to have their relatives back, others might never get to see their relatives again. The rising cases of kidnapping in our society are alarming; it is even more shocking when it takes place in a religious gathering where people are meant to get spiritual succour from the harsh realities of life.

Just recently, we learnt that the founder of Sotitobire Praising Chapel, Prophet Babatunde Alfa and five members of his church got a life sentence over the disappearance of one-year-old Gold Kolawole from his church.

The toddler was said to have gone missing in the church premises in June 2019 when his parents visited the church for prayers.

Temitope Kolawole, the toddler’s father, had disclosed to the court handling the case of his missing child that the children’s department teachers of the church told him that they went to empty the trash when Gold went missing. He also added that he was harassed by loyalists of the church founder. 

Sadly, the child has not been found until date.

How Nigerians reacted:

Breaking: Ondo Court Sentences Sotitobire Founder, Prophet Alfa, 5 others to life imprisonment over Gold Kolawole's disappearance. #SotitobireFinalJudgement pic.twitter.com/PTF5TBuKNo

— Smart Premium Hub (@Smart360Media) October 6, 2020

Hallelujah

At last at last

— Fifehanmi (@Fifehan87588119) October 6, 2020

First judgment of the year

Finally the saga is over

— The intellectual group (@Intellectualgrp) October 6, 2020

This will serve as a lesson to others.

— Alebiosuolaleyea@gmail.com (@Alebiosuolaley1) October 6, 2020

Very Good..nice judgement

— Hephzibah (@asokbright) October 6, 2020

God knows Everything

— Nice Guy Nice Guy (@NiceGuyNiceGuy1) October 6, 2020

It is quite unfortunate that this is not the first time a toddler has suddenly disappeared into thin air without any trace whatsoever.

On January 15, 2015, another toddler, Chisimdiri, was reported missing in Aba shortly after a stranger, Mr Chidubem, visited his mother’s residence, Mrs Obilor, pretending he wanted to rent a room. But the woman told him there wasn’t any to rent.

To her utter dismay, Mrs Obilor discovered her child had gone missing moments after the stranger left. She later learnt from her neighbours that Mr Chidubem had taken the child along with him to buy Akara (bean cakes). Her frustration knew no bounds as she made frantic efforts to recover her child from the stranger all to no avail.

The kidnapper, however, reached out to her later demanding for ransom in exchange for the child. The distraught mother was reported to have sold all her valuables to raise the amount agreed upon and even more. 

Having raised the ransom money, Mrs Obilor never got to see her child again as he had been sold to a chain of human traffickers including a pastor. 

Mr Chidubem was arrested, after which he confessed to selling the child to a self-acclaimed Reverend Father, Johnmary Ihuneze, who was running an orphanage in Anambra then.

The self-acclaimed Reverend Father was also arrested, he confirmed his involvement in the crime and confessed to selling the child for N5,000 to a lecturer in Enugu.

The rising cases of kidnapping in Nigeria are becoming more worrisome by the day. According to recent statistics by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), “at nearly 23,000 people, Nigeria represents the ICRC’s largest missing caseload in Africa. More than 90 per cent of the cases are the result of the conflict in the northeast of the country, and 57 per cent were children at the time they went missing.”

As the most vulnerable targets of perpetrators of the grievous act, parents must be extra-vigilant of their kids to keep them safe at all times.