By Itoro Godwin
A 16-year-old school girl, Chidinma Irogu, who had been declared missing in Enugu State, has been found in a man’s house in Lagos.
The police are set to charge the man, an upcoming musician, for abduction.
But in a swift reaction, Chidinma has exonerated the musician, Idris Umart, saying: “I left my father’s house in Enugu on my own. I’m now five month pregnant for my lover Idris, but we just met by chance.
My father beat me up while I was quarrelling with my younger sister. He called me a useless girl. He took side with my younger sister without finding out who was wrong.
“He had called me a good-for-nothing girl severally. So, on the fateful day, I threatened to leave the house and he said I should leave. I packed my load and left for Lagos. When I arrived Lagos, I lodged in a hotel at Maza-Mza area. I was trying to get my aunt’s address before I met Idris in a saloon where I went to fix my nails. One thing led to the other and we became friends. I lied to him that I was 21years old. He now asked me to join him in his apartment.
“When I moved into his apartment, he tried to find out my family background, but I told him not to go there. We just started living like husband and wife. The result is the five months pregnancy that I am carrying. I want to state categorically clear that Idris did not force me. He did not abduct me. I gave myself to him. We love ourselves. He has even taken me to his hometown in Kogi State. The family welcomed me. I will marry him. Let my parents and the police leave us alone.
“I was arrested in Diamond Bank where I went to collect N10,000 that my mummy sent to me. I did not know the money was a bait to arrest me. It was while trying to collect the money that the police picked me up.”
The suspect, Idris said: I did not kidnap or abduct Chidinma. We met when she came to fix her nails in the saloon where I work. I did not know she ran away from her parents until few weeks ago when I read a text message in her phone. The message was from her mum, pleading that she should come back home. I wanted to call her mum, but Chidinma was against it. I am in love with her and I have promised to love her till death do us part. The police and her parents should support our marriage plans.”
A senior police officer at the FESTAC police station where the lovers are being detained said the young girl had been declared missing by her family about six months ago.
“We just arrested her with five months pregnancy. She took us to the man who abducted her. We are still investigating, and we will soon charge the man for abduction. We have called the girl’s parents about the development.