Two teenage girls left home recently to check the results of their promotional examinations to Senior Secondary School (SS2) but have not returned home since. However, the disappearance of the two friends, Janet Abiodun (18) and Evenly Apalowe (17), has plunged their family members into anxiety.

The girls, both students of New Era Girls Secondary School, Surulere, Lagos, were believed to have gone to hiding because they reportedly failed the examinations. Janet’s aunt, Mrs Olufolake Oyinloye, said she waited for her for a long time, thinking she might have been kept busy in school. Oyinloye, however, became worried when it was night and there was no sign of the girl.

According to her, Janet did not own a phone, so there was no way to even call her. She said: “The following day, I went to one of her friends, Evelyn’s home. I was shocked to discover that she too had not been seen. I have searched everywhere for her. I have also called her friend’s parent in Osun State to confirm if they were there.

I do not think it is a crime to repeat a class. That is why she ran away. “I went into her room to check if she dropped a note, but there was nothing. She did not take anything in the house. I just do not understand her reason for running away.” Oyinloye recalled that when Janet collected her first term result, she had given her some gifts and urged her to do better next time.

Asked if Janet might have a lover, Oyinloye said no, stressing that the girl sworn to her that she was a virgin. She said: “The girl is my cousin. She has been living with me since December 22, 2013; after I saw the manner she was being treated by her father. I told my elder sister to persuade her to come and live with me. That was how she got to my place.

“I am not the harsh type. The only time I would say I scolded her was when she collected her second term result and hid it from me. What my children eat is what I used to give to her. I don’t discriminate between her and my children. I don’t know why she ran away? Oyinloye said she went to Janet’s school to find out if she had committed any offence, but was told by her teacher that after the students collected their results, one of her friends, whom they used to walk home together, told her that they should start heading home, but Janet refused, insisting that she wanted to walk with Evelyn. Since then nobody had seen the girls. She added: “Three days after they left home, Evelyn called her father on phone, saying she was in Ibadan.

But since then, the phone line had not been going through again. Evelyn’s aunt told me that the girl had left home once. She was sure Evelyn would soon return home.” Oyinloye said she also went to Area ‘C’ Police Command, where she reported Janet missing.

SaiBuharii:
I hope Ndigbo men never kidnap these girls.