From Neighbor To Nightmare: The Disguise That Shocked Enugu Community
Ede-Oballa Community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State was in the news for the wrong reason recently. A lady, said to be in her 60s, successfully rented a room in the Ede-Oballa community and ‘lived’ like a genuine tenant for some time before pouring her venom.
“The lady claimed to be from Igalla in Kogi State,” narrates a native of the community who chose not to be mentioned. “No one even cared to know her occupation. She would move out and return as a normal person seeking legitimate means of livelihood. She pretended to be good, especially to the children. She was brought to the compound in the company of another lady who was not identified.”
The alleged Igalla woman, by chance, found a room in a compound where an innocent Ugomsinachi and her parents are tenants. The woman gradually bonded herself with Ugomsinachi and, by extension, her parents.
On 15th March, 2025, Ugomsinachi was allegedly whisked away by this same woman tenant who had become acquainted with her.
Ngozi Ekwueme, a native of the community, said, “This new tenant pretended to be friendly with everybody and fond of children. We thought she was nice. Particularly, she was fond of buying biscuits for Ugomsinachi, which made them friendlier.
“But the true colours of the woman came out when she volunteered to take Ugomsinachi to have a haircut. Ugomsinachi’s mum, a nursing mother, didn’t want her daughter to go with the woman, but this woman volunteered against all odds. That was how Ugomsinachi got missing. We thank God; through the diligence of the Nigeria Police, she was tracked outside Enugu State, while the alleged woman was also arrested. The matter is still being investigated.”
Sources said the room the suspect occupied, when ransacked, had no trace of her except a mat and a water bucket.
Some mothers in Enugu said that they are afraid after hearing about the alleged tenant who disguised himself as a genuine person and allegedly stole the four-year-old. Those who spoke with THE WHISTLER called for vigilance on the part of landlords and house caretakers to detect such characters before they carry out their nefarious activities.
Mrs Theresa Nweke, residing at Agu-Abor in Enugu-East Local Government Area, told THE WHISTLER that “It is a modern way of child trafficking. I thank the police. Some children might not be lucky as such. We live in a large compound, and I’ve warned my kids against going out with anyone. They don’t even receive biscuits from strangers. No one can be trusted these days.”
Mrs Ifeyinwa Uzoene lives at Ngwo, Udi LGA. She said, “Landlords should be careful with the people they bring in as tenants. This can be done by making tenants present identifiable guarantors before they are allowed to occupy houses. Tenants should also state their sources of livelihood as well as submit their photos in the agreement papers they sign. The alleged woman trafficker at Ede-Oballa escaped because there was nothing to use to track her.”
For Jane Ogbodo, “Let the trial of this woman be made public. She should be made to be ashamed of herself. I am waiting for lawyers who will defend such a person in the name of legal services. Ugomsinachi is lucky. Ritual killers wouldn’t have spared her.”
Barr Jideoffor Ugwu is a property lawyer. According to him, “Most landlords don’t want to engage the services of lawyers in managing their property. A genuine estate manager or a property lawyer makes tenants sign all required agreements, including their places of work and communities of origin. Of course photographs are compulsory. Landlords now impose their wives as their managers and their sons as house agents and circumvent all processes. That is why such a tenant can allegedly disguise themselves to commit atrocities.”
Barr Ugwu advised the inclusion of National Identity Numbers and Bank Verification Numbers of both tenants and their guarantors in tenancy agreement forms.
In his words, “If such nefarious people know that they will be traced, they will not do such. Their guarantors will also be careful.”
Sheddy Okpe owns some houses in Enugu. He said making tenants form associations within compounds or streets would also help in tracking them.
“Associations will definitely involve the inclusion of phone numbers and home addresses,” he said, adding that, “It will also create bonds. Tenants with criminal intents would always not be comfortable with such. Such people would then be primary suspects when crimes happen within. Such people would seek to leave prematurely, which is a kind of purification or weeding out bad eggs.”
Meanwhile, the father of Ugomsinachi, Mr Darlington Chukwudumebi, confirmed that the child had been found. He did not go further on how she was found because the matter was still under investigation.
It was gathered that the matter was under investigation following the interstate nature of the alleged crime.
From Neighbor To Nightmare: The Disguise That Shocked Enugu Community is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
