13-year-old girl runs away from home with lover

What would make a 13-year-old girl run away from her guardian's home with a man who is believed to be her lover? That is the puzzle men of the Lagos police are trying to unravel when the distraught guardians of the girl, Chikwuo Ezennia, reported to the police that she allegedly fled her home with a yet-to-be-identified man who is suspected to be her lover.

It was learnt that the girl who is in Basic 4 in primary school, had come to Lagos from Nneni village in the Anaocha local government area of Anambra State to spend her holiday with her relatives.

But she reportedly fled her relatives’ apartment on Ishola Bello Close, Iyalla Street, Alausa, Lagos, in the afternoon of Thursday, November 20, when the family had gone out.

It was revealed that when her aunt, Mrs. Ambrose Okolo, and her husband returned from work at about 6pm, Ezennia was nowhere to be found.

It was when a search was conducted for her that some neighbours told the Okolos that they saw the girl walking away with a man in the afternoon.

Ezennia was said to have told the neighbours that her aunt maltreated her and had travelled away for a week. Hence, she would be staying with a friend during that period.

The family had no option but to report the matter at the Alausa Police Division the following day. It was gathered that the police invited some persons, who allegedly saw the girl, for interrogation.

It was also learnt that Ezennia has a record of fleeing home to stay with men, even in her village.

Speaking to Punch Newspaper, her aunt, a Chatered Accountant narrated thus:

"Ezennia is just 13, but she looks big enough to be called a man’s wife. If you see her, you will think she is a lady. She just came from the village to spend some time with us and she is supposed to go back this December. But since that Thursday, we have yet to find her.

The reason I suspect she may be with a lover is because of some recent developments. Just a week before that incident, I travelled to Benue for a programme, and she was alone with my children in the house. There is a phone that my children use which contains only my number and my husband’s.

But when she fled home and we started the search, I picked up the phone and to my surprise, I saw a string of strange numbers.

The children said Ezennia used the phone when I travelled. I wondered who she might have been calling since she is new in Lagos."

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed the incident and said the police has placed the teenager on the list of missing persons.

"If seen, the public should contact Alausa Police Station."