Nursery
and primary schools in Imo State Wednesday and Thursday closed shops following
reports of cases of child kidnap.
Unconfirmed
reports had it that child kidnapping and ritual killings have returned in the
state, a development that has sent fears into many homes especially in the
rural areas.
Investigations
by 247ureports.com reveal that the panic that greeted the schools and led to
their hurried closure was reports in some churches in Orlu Catholic Diocese
last Sunday that some four school children were kidnapped and killed with their
vital parts said to have been taken away by their kidnappers.
Also,
on Monday, rumours had it that a tricycle (keke) operator who usually takes
children of a family to school, disappeared with the three children and since
then had not been traced.
Furthermore,
on Tuesday, there was pandemonium across the state as news of seven children
kidnapped while on their way to school, putted the people of the state who were
clearly put on red alert.
That
same Tuesday, rumours, in Owerri had it that at Amaraku in Isiala Mbano LGA,
Amaigbo and Owerre Nkworji communities in Nwangele and Nkwerre Local Government
Areas respectively, gunmen were said to have invaded primary schools in the
areas, thereby forcing parents and guardians to withdraw their kids from
schools. The rumors did not abate even after the state commissioner of police
on Tuesday assured the people of the state to rather on Wednesday in Ohii
community in Owerri West LGA, gunmen were said to have abducted school children
on their way to school.
The
rumours forced the school administrators to close the schools on Wednesday,
while most parents stopped their children from going to schools and locked them
inside against the prowling eyes of the kidnappers.
As
at the time of filing this report (Thursday), most schools in the
state-especially in Orlu, Njaba, Nkwerre, Mbailo, Nwangele and Isiala Mbano
council areas were under lock and key with no teachers and pupils in them.
However,
in a release on Thursday the state PPRO, Mrs. Joy
Elomoko, said the rumours were false and unfounded.
According
to help, there was no killing of nor kidnapping of school children in any part
of the state.
She
urged the people of the state to go about their normal business and ignore the
rumours.
