Agorehmi Bright, Reporting
YENAGOA — The Bayelsa State Police Command has charged eight suspects to court in connection with the disappearance of a one-year, ten-month-old girl, Amarachi Blessing Ogbonna, who reportedly went missing from a church premises in the state on 21 June 2026.
The command, in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, DSP Musa Mohammed, said it was aware of narratives circulating on social media alleging that the police had failed to act on the child’s disappearance.
The police, however, described the claims as inaccurate, insisting that the command had taken decisive steps since the matter was reported.
According to the statement, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), acting on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, took over the investigation from the Ekeki Division and immediately commenced intensive efforts to unravel the circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance.
The command said that in the course of the investigation, several suspects linked to the case were identified and arrested based on facts and evidence gathered by investigators.
It disclosed that eight suspects had subsequently been charged to court and were awaiting arraignment before the High Court of Bayelsa State, Yenagoa Judicial Division, in charge No. BYHC/YHC/CR./81/2026.
The police added that some other persons whose involvement could not be established during the investigation had been released on bail.
The command also explained that the delay in arraigning the suspects was not attributable to police inaction but was occasioned by the court’s vacation. It noted that the courts resumed proceedings this week and expressed confidence that the matter would now proceed accordingly.
While the suspects await arraignment, the police said investigation into the child’s disappearance remained active, with sustained efforts being made to locate Amarachi and reunite her safely with her family.
The command said its investigators were pursuing all credible leads and would continue to take every lawful measure necessary to establish the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and secure the child’s safe recovery.
The police appealed to members of the public to exercise caution when relying on unverified information circulating on social media, particularly in sensitive cases involving children.
According to the command, unverified narratives could heighten public anxiety and potentially obscure facts surrounding an ongoing investigation.
The police assured the public that the investigation would continue until all relevant circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance were fully unravelled.
