Customer kidnaps Ogun PoS operator’s seven-year-old daughter

The family of a seven-year-old girl, Mercy Akande, has raised the alarm over her disappearance in the Sango Ota area of Ogun State.

Thursday that the incident happened on Monday close to where the girl’s mother operated a Point of Sale terminal in the community.

It was gathered that a yet-to-be-identified male adult said to be the mother’s regular customer visited the shop, bought food for the seven-year-old girl, and later sent her on an errand to buy a sachet of water.

On her return, the customer left the spot and approached her midway in an attempt to collect the water sachet.

The nephew of the victim who identified himself simply as Jude told our correspondent on Thursday that the mother sighted both of them at that moment but was distracted by the attention of other customers.

Jude said by the time she turned towards the daughter’s direction to check what was happening, both of them were nowhere to be found.

He said, “The man had been visiting her store regularly to withdraw money and buy recharge cards. He had become friendly with the girl and would often buy her food and give her money. He doesn’t stay in the area. On Monday morning, which was December 23, the man visited the stall again and bought food for himself and the girl.

“While the mother was busy attending to other customers, the man sent the girl to buy pure water. On her way back, he approached her halfway to get the sachet water from her. The mum saw this and wasn’t comfortable with it but was distracted by the attention of other customers. By the time she turned towards the daughter’s direction to check what was happening, the guy and her daughter were nowhere to be found.”