See Photo: 12-year-old boy accused of stealing flees home for weeks

A 12-year-old boy in Lagos, Kingsley Peter, who was accused by his guardian of stealing a sum of N1, 000, has run away from home.

Punch Metro learnt that Peter, who was a primary six pupil of Alaguntan Primary School, Iyana Ipaja, ran away from home since the morning of Tuesday, November 25, and had since refused to return.It was gathered that the family reported the case to the Gowon Estate Police Division.

Peter was staying with his uncle, Mr. John Ubani, on Ogunbowale Street, Moshalashi in the Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos before the incident.It was learnt that Peter, an orphan, had been brought to Lagos by Ubani from the Obi Ngwa Local Government Area of Abia State in 2011, and had been enrolled in school to continue with his education.

Punch Metro learnt that on the morning of that Tuesday, Ubani, who suspected that a sum of N1, 000 was missing from his purse, had asked Peter, who allegedly had a habit of pilfering, to produce the money.

Speaking with our correspondent, Ubani, a commercial driver, said all that he knew was that the boy sneaked out of the house, and had since failed to come back.

He said,

“When Peter’s parents- my elder brother and his wife- died about three years ago, I brought him from our village in Abia to be staying with me in Lagos. I enrolled him in a primary school in the area. I have a son too, and he is an undergraduate. So, I wanted Peter to be educated. Unfortunately, he plays truancy, and also has a habit of stealing.Two months before this incident, I had also been looking for N18, 000 in the house, before Peter confessed that he took it. Later on, he was able to return only N11, 000.

“It was about 7am on that Tuesday when I was looking for a N1, 000 note in the house and I called him. He was already dressed up for school. When I asked him, he did not say anything, and within minutes, he just sneaked to the backyard. Believe me; that was the last time I set my eyes on him.”

Our correspondent gathered that apart from the N1, 000, Peter had allegedly stolen about N25, 000 belonging to Ubani’s wife.

When Punch Metro paid a visit to Alaguntan Primary School, it was learnt that Peter had not come to school since the day before his disappearance. One of Peter’s friends, whose name was given as Yusuf, said he once saw the missing boy around a football club centre in the Ikeja area.

Another friend was said to have also seen Peter around the Iyana Ipaja Roundabout on an evening, but Peter reportedly mixed with the crowd, after hearing someone calling out his name.

Punch Metro learnt that the police had yet to get back to the family with any development on the matter since it was reported.

Our correspondent gathered that the Ubanis had gone to seek ‘spiritual help’ on the matter, and they were assured that Peter was alive, and he would soon come back home.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed the incident, adding that anyone who saw the boy should report to the police.

While the search for Peter continues, it would be recalled that the police had also yet to find a 13-year-old girl, Chikwuo Ezennia, who allegedly fled her home in Alausa, Ikeja, with a man, suspected to be a lover.

Punch Metro had reported on December 4, that Ezennia, who came from the Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State to Lagos, got missing from home since Thursday, November 20, and had yet to return.