By Akpos Oghenetega,
In response to rising concerns over the disappearance of children in Agbarho Kingdom, Chairman of Ughelli North Local Government Area, Olorogun Jaro Egbo, has announced an immediate ban on all activities of iron scavengers, popularly known as "Iron Condemned," within the community. The move follows alarming reports linking scavengers to suspected cases of child abduction in the area.
Egbo gave the order during an enlarged security meeting in his office with the leadership of Agbarho women, representatives from Agbarho communities, Agbarho Royal Palace, Agbarho Descendants Union, and with all security agencies in the local government including, the Ughelli Police Area Commander, DPOs of all the divisions in the local Government, the Nigeria Army, DSS, Customs, NSCDC, immigration, and local vigilante groups amongst others.
Speaking after an emergency security meeting held at the council secretariat, Egbo revealed that although media reports claimed 26 children were missing, only seven cases had been officially confirmed so far. He emphasized that the local government would spare no effort in tracing the missing children and preventing future incidents.
[caption id="attachment_1854048" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Stakeholders during the security meeting with Ughelli North council chairman, Olorogun Jaro Egbo[/caption]
To this end, an investigative committee led by ACP Adebayo, the Ughelli Area Commander, has been constituted to dig deep into the situation. The Chairman also announced support packages for some of the affected mothers — including educational aid and startup palliatives — as part of the council’s immediate humanitarian response.
Egbo warned that any scavenger operating in Agbarho without proper profiling would be arrested and prosecuted. He also urged parents, residents, and youth to remain vigilant and resist criminal temptations, while stressing the administration’s renewed commitment to ensuring the safety and security of every community in Ughelli North.
According to him, "As against the report circulating in the media that 26 children are missing in Agbarho Kingdom, for now, we have been able to confirmed seven of them, though it's a sad one to us but we will ensure we do our best to go in search of them, and to put a measure in place to avert future reoccurrence.
"I have charged the security agencies to conduct a proper investigation to unearth those seven children that are missing, we have taken their photographs, names of the children and that of their parents.
"We have also promised to support one of the mothers who is still in school to go back and study, and to also give two other affected mothers palliative for them to start up a business of their own for them to take care of themselves and their children, while the government and the security agencies hit the ground running in search of the children." Egbo added.
The Chairman reiterated his commitment to ensuring peace and security across the local government.
He stressed that the government was unaware of the happening since the first case of child abduction took place in December 2024, as reported by one of the affected mothers during the meeting.
Following the report of the alleged suspected scavenger who was caught in the process of kidnapping a child in Agbarho Kingdom, the Chairman, banned the activities of scavengers popularly known as "Iron Condemned."
The Chairman urged all parents to advise their children to shun the push to get-rich-quick syndrome, which has led so many youths into committing blood rituals, yahoo yahoo (Advance fee fraud 419), kidnapping, Armed robbery, and other social vices.
