Since early 2025, residents of Agbarho in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State have been gripped by fear, as at least 30 children, aged between three and ten, vanished without explanation. The children, who were last seen playing in their compounds or leaving for school, simply disappeared—leaving families devastated and communities on edge.

Mothers Lead Protests in Outrage

Unable to bear the uncertainty, Agbarho women staged nightly demonstrations, dressed in black attire and carrying banners reading “Stop Stealing Our Children” and “Where Are Our Kids?” The protests aimed to pressure authorities into action, but officials’ slow responses only fueled public anger.

One grieving mother remarked, “If these were senators’ children, would they just vanish and no one act?” .

Community Leaders Declare a State of Emergency

The Ovie of Agbarho Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Ogurimerime Okorefe I, denounced the crisis as “a declaration of war against the people,” and warned local authorities that failure to act risks total community breakdown. He urged traditional chiefs, vigilante groups, and security forces to intensify surveillance and intervention.

Local Government Imposes Strict Measures

Responding to growing alarm, Ughelli North Chairman Olorogun Jaro Egbo banned illicit scrap-metal scavengers—known locally as “Iron Condemn”—after reports linked them to an attempted kidnapping. He immediately convened an emergency security meeting, involving local police, military, DSS, customs, immigration, NSCDC, and local vigilantes, and appointed a high-powered investigative committee chaired by ACP Adebayo.

During the meeting, officials confirmed seven verified cases, though some residents fear more children remain missing.

Distress from Affected Families

Vero Lucky, a mother whose four-year-old son Moses disappeared while playing in May, spoke of heartbreak and frustration: “I stepped inside for a moment… and when I came out, he was gone. The police took my number and said they would notify me if they found him.”.

Chairman Egbo vowed to support affected mothers by providing assistance for schooling and business setups while security forces launch extensive searches.

Public Criticism of Security and Governance

Community members have lambasted the police’s lukewarm statements—“We will notify you if any child returns”—as callous and dismissive . They view the governor’s deference to local officials as inadequate, arguing that the crisis demands leadership at the highest level.

Residents have called for Delta State to mobilize helicopters, drones, and aggressive police action—like protocols used in high-profile manhunts overseas—to reclaim abducted children and restore confidence.

National Kidnapping Pattern Escalates Fear

The abductions in Agbarho mirror a wider crisis in Nigeria, where high-profile mass kidnappings have terrorized communities. From Boko Haram’s Chibok and Dapchi abductions to over 300 schoolchildren seized in Kaduna and Sokoto in March 2024, Nigeria is hunted by kidnappers who see children as lucrative targets.

Abductions have become deeply entrenched—between July 2022 and June 2023 alone, criminals kidnapped over 3,620 people in 582 incidents, sometimes netting billions in ransom.

Strained Security Services and Community Solutions

Experts argue that Nigeria’s centralized policing often fails to protect vulnerable communities . With police forces stretched and under-equipped, some regions have turned to hybrid security models, incorporating civilian vigilante groups like the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) to assist in local patrols and intelligence gathering.

But residents caution that adequate legal frameworks and oversight must guide these collaborations to avoid abuse.

Legal and Institutional Remedies

Activists point to existing laws such as the Child Rights Act of 2003 and state-level provisions criminalizing kidnapping, but highlight implementation gaps. Advocacy groups like NACTAL regularly push for better enforcement, but success depends on political will and capacity.

Immediate Demands for Action

Citizens and leaders in Agbarho demand a multi-pronged government response:

1. Immediate recovery sweeps with military, police, intelligence, and aerial support.

2. Expanded investigations into suspected scavenger networks.

3. Budgetary support for forensic tools—such as tracking equipment and data systems.

4. Improved legal enforcement through vigourous prosecution of kidnappers.

5. Broader community policing efforts under well-regulated vigilante becomes critical .

6. Child protection education to help children and caretakers recognize threats.

Consequences of Inaction

Without intervention, Agbarho may descend into a lawless zone. Parents may withdraw children from school; local commerce and farming could falter. Worse, criminals might view the void as opportunity, emboldening further kidnappings.

A Crossroads for Delta State

This crisis tests Delta Government’s ability to protect its most vulnerable. Leaders must overcome bureaucratic inertia, deploy resources, and restore community trust to prevent a spiral of fear and disintegration.

Conclusion: Now Is the Time for Real Action

Agbarho’s missing children are not statistics—they are souls whose safety hangs by a thread. Nigeria has faced similar tragedies in the past, yet local officials now face an urgent test. This moment demands more than tears and pledges—it demands operations, coordination, and conviction.

Delta’s leaders must respond with speed, transparency, and resolve. If they do, Agbarho may reclaim its children—and with them, hope and security for the entire community.