Mother of Abia teenager swept away by flood begs for help as search continues

The mother of 13-year-old girl, Miss Adekunle Emanuella Ige, who was allegedly swept away by flood on Monday evening  in Umuahia, has appealed to government agencies and residents to help in locating her daughter.

Emmanuella disappeared on Monday evening after she was allegedly sent on an errand by a relative of her mother.

She was said to have fallen into a big gutter at Low Cost Housing Estate, Umuahia.

Speaking  on ABN TV, as monitored by DAILY POST, the mother of the missing girl, Mrs Adekunle Chinasa Ige, said Emmanuella had been living with her younger sister in Umuahia before the incident.

The grieving mother explained that she was in the Ohafia area of Abia State when she was informed that her daughter was missing after the rain.

Mrs Ige also disclosed that the police has commenced investigation into the matter, adding that her family is cooperating with the police with the hope of finding her daughter.

“My younger sister said she sent her on an errand yesterday before it started raining. Though it was a little bit cloudy, she gave her an umbrella to go and get something, so that in case it started raining, she would have the umbrella.

“She said she became concerned when Ella failed to return home after several hours, prompting a search for her,” the mother said.

She added that the shopkeeper, in whose shop the child was sent to purchase some items, said the rainfall and accompanying flood were so heavy that the drainage channel in front of the shop was covered by water, making it difficult to distinguish the gutter from the walkway.

Mrs Ige expressed concern that her daughter, being a young girl, may not have been able to identify a safe place to step while leaving the shop.

“I’m appealing, please, if there is anything people can do, please help us,” she pleaded.

At the time of filing this report, Ella had not been found and the the circumstances surrounding her disappearance remain unclear.