In the Igando area of Ilesa, Osun State, a concerning incident unfolded involving an unidentified prospective tenant who has disappeared with two young children.
According to The PUNCH, the woman, who had recently rented a one-room apartment in a ‘face-me-and-face-you’ housing unit in the Cele area, vanished with the two children, ages four and two, after cleaning her new home on Saturday.
The tenant had paid N6,000 for six months’ rent to one of the existing tenants in the building.
The mother of one of the missing children, Funke Komolafe, recounted that the woman deceitfully claimed she was taking the girls to purchase something, which was corroborated by neighbors who saw her leaving with them.
The mother of the other missing child, Itunu Joseph, described the events leading up to the disappearance.
“We have three buildings sharing a common backyard. On Saturday morning, the woman approached us while we were washing clothes. My two-year-old daughter was playing with her friends in the building where the woman had rented a room.
“After tidying her room, the woman feigned exhaustion and pretended to be pregnant. She sat in the backyard, engaging with the children, and expressed a fondness for my daughter, saying she wished for a child like her.”
Joseph continued, “She spent around three hours with us before retreating to her room. The children followed her inside, but we didn’t notice her leaving. Neighbors at the front of the house observed her walking away with the children and inquired about her destination. She falsely stated she was going to buy something for them. She proceeded to the junction and boarded a motorcycle.
“When my daughter went missing, I learned that the new tenant had taken her and my neighbor’s child. We managed to trace the motorcycle rider, who revealed that the woman had transferred to another motorcycle at Adeti area of Ilesa. Despite our search efforts, we have yet to locate them.”
The distraught mother described the woman as being between 17 and 20 years old, fair-skinned, with a short haircut and fixed nails. “She didn’t disclose her name,” she added.
Joseph further explained the rental payment process, noting, “A tenant collected the money on behalf of the landlord. Although the landlord asked if the tenant knew the woman, the tenant assured him she did. Consequently, the landlord approved the rent without issuing a receipt.”
The incident has been reported to both the police and the Osun State Amotekun Corps.
The state corps Commander, Adekunle Omoyele, confirmed their involvement, stating, “We are aware of the situation and are diligently working to locate the woman. By God’s grace, we will find her and the children.”
