•2 siblings stolen in Benue found in Rivers, reunites with parents
From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
What God cannot do, they say, does not exist, and Mr and Mrs Godwin Kpaakpa can testify to this. Their joy knew no bounds when their children, Philomena, six-years-old and Benedict, less than two, who were stolen about a month ago, were found and returned to them.
Philomena and Benedict were abducted and taken away by a strange woman while running errand for their mother on Sunday, September 24, 2023 at about 7.30am. The incident occurred near their house on Badagry Street, close to St. Peters Catholic Church, Wurukum, Makurdi, Benue State.
According to the Benue State Police Command, investigation began immediately after the case was reported and a signal was sent across the country.
But on October 20, 2023, information was received from River State Police Command that in the course of an operation at Rumu-Okoro area, they rescued three children from a medical doctor that seem to be the same children earlier reported missing by the Benue Command.
According to the police public relations officer in the state, SP Catherine Anene, a team of detectives were sent to River State for identification and other necessary actions and fortunately, the two children were identified alongside with one other child, Godsgift Julius, whose parents are yet to be identified. Philomena and Benedict have been reunited with their family.
On Sunday, October 29, 2023, when the mother, Mrs Esther Kpaakpa returned with the children from Port Harcourt, their home immediately turned to a pilgrimage site with neighbours, friends and well wishers trooping to see things for themselves.
When this reporter visited, it was songs of praise for what God has done and the family of Kpaakpa could not hold their excitement as their mother smiled and cried at the same time.
“We thank God. We praise God. God is faithful. May God be praised. God is wonderful. It pays to trust God. Thank you Jesus. Praise the Lord. Our God is good, our God has done it, the God of St. Peter is a great God, shame to the devil. Father, we thank you, Jesu Msugh, Sesugh Aondo and so forth,” the praises kept pouring in from friends and well wishes who thronged the
home of Mr and Mrs Godwin Kpaakpa to celebrate the return of the children.
Their joy could not be described. With their hands wrapped across their chest and others waving in thanks to God. Some even shed tears of joy while the children played around their mother who narrated her ordeal throughout the period.
Speaking to The Sun reporter, visibly happy mother of seven narrated a heart-rending story of her journey to finding her kids.
She said people did not only mock her, they also mocked her God after she refused their “advices” to abandon prayers and seek help elsewhere.
She said: “When my children were taken, it was not easy at all but thank God for everything. I thank God that they are back now.
“People were mocking me. Some said where is that her scapula, let the scapula go and bring back her children but I always cried with my Mother Mary that she must answer my prayer and God so kind, my prayers have been answered and I thank God for everything.
“Some were asking where is that her God, where is that her Mother Mary because they were saying that I was always praying my rosary and that I’m a scapula wearer. They were saying let my scapula go and capture my children wherever they are and bring them back to me.
“But each time I prayed my rosary, I asked my mother Mary a question: would you allow me to be put to shame? Answer my prayer so that the devil will know that God exist in this world. So, God really answered my prayer and I’m happy about it. Today, my children are back so I thank God for everything but it was not easy at all.
“Honestly, I want to thank the church, parishioners at St Peters Catholic Church, my friends, well wishes and my family members. I also thank, in a especial way, my parish priest, Rev Fr Bem Bito. My priest really took this as his case, as his own. He did everything for me and my family.
He was always praying, coming to my house here to encourage me to be strong always. He assured me that he knows that my Mother Mary would intervene. He told me not to be tired with prayers and I’m happy I listened to him.
“I belong to many societies in the church such as Catholic Women Organization (CWO), Precious Blood, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary, Confraternity of Brown Scapular and Divine Mercy. All the members of these groups joined me in prayers and even people from other churches and denominations, including pentecostals and NKST, others.
“They usually come to this house to pray with me. My neighbours were praying, my family members were praying. Everyone was just praying and the God that answers prayers has answered us and I remain very grateful to him.
“When this thing happened, we reported the case at the ‘B’ Division police station in Makurdi and the DPO there is very good. He tried all best, posted their pictures and circulated information. I was told that in Rivers State, children were missing and they told them to come to Benue to look for them because there was a particular lady here in Benue that takes the children and sells them.
“They said when there was a case of missing children there, they tracked the lady to a hotel and discovered she ran back to Benue state. They traced the lady back to Makurdi here but when they came, they also discovered that the lady had ran back to Port Harcourt.
“So, they went back to Port Harcourt and when they went to the hotel where she was staying, she escaped and left the boyfriend behind. They caught the boyfriend, who took them to where they sold the children to one doctor in Port Harcourt. But before they got to the doctor, he had already sold my children and some others.
“The doctor took the police where he sold the children and when they got there they saw some children, including my son. That was the first person they saw. The lady goes around and wherever she gets children, she will sell to the doctor and the doctor will sell to interested buyers.
“He had already sold my son with two other children to one person. I was told he sold one child for N300,000. He sold my children for N300,000 each.
“When they arrested doctor, he took them where he sold the children so they took photographs of the children brought them back to Makurdi and showed the DPO. The DPO called me to come to his office and when he showed me the pictures, I told him one of the three children was my son.
“So, he he told me not to tell anybody until they find the girl. He collected my daughter’s picture again and told me not to worry but that I should keep on thanking God, that I must surely see my children all.
“When they went back, they also got the girl. The same doctor also sold my daughter to someone in another local government in Rivers State. When they informed the DPO of the new development, he called me and asked me to arrange so that we can go to the police station in Port Harcourt.
“I didn’t spend money of my own. Rev. Fr Bem Bito had already told me that I shouldn’t worry. So, he was sending money to me for my going and coming, accommodation, feeding and everything.
“I went to Port Harcourt on Thursday, October 26, 2023 and they sent policemen from here to accompany me. When we got there, we went from state CID to headquarters to sign some papers. “When we got to the police station where my children were kept, they told us to wait, that they will attend to us and bring the children to me after their meeting. They didn’t finish the meeting until around after 7pm and that was the longest wait of my life but I waited patiently.
“When they went to bring the children, they told me not to go to them when they come out. They asked me not to face them that they don’t want the children to see my face and they said I should not rush to them either.
“So, when they were coming from afar, my daughter saw me, started running and shouting: mummy! mummy!! mummy!!! She ran and embraced me. My son too also ran and embraced me.
“When I held them in my arms I couldn’t let go. It was like a dream. I held them tight to my chest as if someone would come and drag them away and I cried again and again but this time, it was tears of joy.
“But one funny thing also happened while we were still at the police station. I took them to one shop close to the station and bought some biscuits and drinks for them. When we got back to the station, my son dropped from my body, ran to the police woman that had been taking care of them and said, mummy see. He went to show her the biscuits I bought for him. I could not hold back tears at that moment. It was such an emotional moment for everyone.
“Right now, I can’t even explain how I feel because I don’t have the words to capture my feelings. All I can say is that I am very happy. I don’t know what to say. When we came back, I could not eat for the whole day but I was very okay.
“If you see the crowd that was here that morning. I was even surprised myself. I asked myself, is this crowd for me and my children? I thank God for everything. I don’t know what to say but by His grace on Sunday, November 5, we will go and thank God for what he has done.
“My advice to other families who children are missing is that they should hold unto their God. You know, if this kind of thing happens to you, people will come and give you all manner of advice.
“In my own case, people were advising me to go to babalawo (native doctor) and find my children. Some say I should go to one prophet or another to find them but I told them that I know that the God I’m serving will never fail me.
“I told them I can’t carry an elephant on my head and be looking for cricket on the ground. I told them my God will never fail me but they murmured and said all manner of things. I told them I can’t leave my God and go to other prophets to show me where my children were.
“I encourage with such problem to stop running from one prophet to another. They should keep their faith in God Almighty who created them and He will surely answer their prayers anytime they run to him.
“The incident has affected me a lot. Now, I have learnt my mistakes. When I want to send them on errands now, I send them with a lot of caution. Right now, I only send the senior ones to go out and buy things for me or to go and do something for me outside where my eyes will not see them but not these little ones. It will be very hard for me to send them out or with anybody that I do not know. I only send the senior ones. This experience has also strengthened my faith in God. To Him be the glory.
