Residents accuse woman of trying to abduct 7-yr old girl(Photo)

A woman accused of being a kidnapper has been arrested by residents of Qadri Close in the Ojuelegba area of Lagos.

The suspect was allegedly nabbed with a seven-year-old girl, identified only as Khadijat.

The suspected abductor, Mrs. Grace Uduak, said to be in her 30s, had reportedly lured the girl with puff puff around 10am and was about to leave the neighbourhood when she was rounded up.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspect called Khadijat, who was in her parents’ house, and gave her the puff puff. She was said to have told the little girl to follow her.

A resident, Joseph Adebiyi, said Uduak initially whispered into Khadijat’s ears after which she gave her the snack.He said when residents of the area confronted the suspect, she told them she was pressed and wanted the girl to lead her to a toilet in the area.

He said, 

“I was with a friend when I saw Mariam ─ Khadijat’s neighbour ─ running after the woman. The woman had already walked four houses from the building where she abducted the girl before Mariam met up with her and challenged her. I moved closer to them to know what happened. She said the girl wanted to take her to a toilet.The girl was brought to Lagos by her aunty three days before the incident. The aunty was not around at that time. That house is usually deserted. She actually went into the house to pick her.”

Adebiyi said traders in the area initially wanted the woman to be freed, but he and other residents insisted that she be handed over to the police.We called the Area C Police Command and some policemen came to arrest her,” he added.

Another resident, Bolaji Adesola, said no sooner had Khadijat come downstairs to collect the gift than residents were alerted.

He said, 

“The girl actually came down to collect the puff puff and was following the suspect when Mariam raised the alarm. We informed the police.”

The Lagos State Police Spokesperson, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said Uduak was not a kidnapper, adding that she had only sought the girl’s assistance.

“The woman works with Akwa Ibom Transport Cooperation and she was sent to deliver a parcel, but was pressed and needed direction to the convenience. She engaged the girl. But the people around interpreted it that she was trying to kidnap the girl,” he said.