Crime Alert

By CHINENYEH OZOR, Nsukka

WONDERS, they say, shall never end. This aptly describes how a six months’ old baby girl was abandoned to a widow, Mrs. Felicia Umeugochukwu at Opi community, Nsukka Local Government Area, Enugu State. The helpless widow is presently gnashing her teeth for playing the role of a good Samaritan by accepting to assist the single mother, Miss Chinaza Nnaji and her baby.

Speaking to Crime Alert, Mrs. Felicia Umeugochukwu said that Chinaza surprised her by abandoning her six months’ baby girl and absconded to an unknown destination. She  alleged that the single mother was chased out of her home, Neke in Isi-uzo LGA by her biological father for having a baby out of wedlock.

Mrs Umeugochukwu also said that Chinaza did not end at abandoning her baby but also stole N63,000 while fleeing her house, alleging that she had reported the matter to Nsukka Urban police division who assisted her to trace Chinaza’s home at Neke, Isi-Uzo L.G.A.

She told Crime Alert that her ordeal started when she accepted her daughter’s plea to house Chinaza and her daughter. She further said that Amarachi Umeugochukwu, her biological daughter operates a prayer ministry, Mater Miscoudia, at Onitsha, Anambra State where single mothers are housed.



*Chinaza – The fleeing teenager with her baby before she disappeared and the widow with the abandoned baby

Three days later, the single mother Chinaza absconded on the pretext of procuring drug for her baby. Defying the instruction of the widow that she had contacted the medicine dealer on phone to bring drug for the baby, she absconded and abandoned the baby who was born December 11, 2011 to her mercy and care.

Mrs Umeugochukwu who hails from Uga, Anambra State explained that her daughter, Amarachi, took pity on the single mother after a vigil at her ministry. She said that when others were leaving she stayed behind and was spotted by the security men who tried to force her out of the chapel where the vigil was held.

She explained: “My daughter ordered the security man to allow her only to discover that Chinaza was five old pregnant and when she was questioned, she said her father chased her out of their home because of the pregnancy out of wedlock and she had no place to stay.”

The widow while cuddling the abandoned baby said that Chinaza still stayed behind till the following day this compelled her daughter to alert the parish priest of Holy Ghost Parish, Awada, Onitsha. The parish priest later intervened and the church took care of her till she was delivered of the baby.

At a point before her

delivery, the parish priest sent for her biological father to find out if he would take the child when delivered or an alternative arrangement be made, and the father accepted to take the baby. It is surprisingly to me how the same man chased Chinasa and her baby away, she explained.

She said the parish paid all her maternity bills and gave her enough money to go back to her home, alleging that few weeks after she left for her home, she went back to the same parish and that was when her daughter contacted her to assist.

The widow noted that she accepted in good faith to stay with them till the baby grows but now, the reverse is the case, stressing that she has written to Chinaza’s family and gave them up to end of June 2012 to come and take the baby or she would have no alternative than to take the baby to motherless baby home.

“All efforts by my family members to trace the fleeing single mother, Chinaza Nnaji, failed. Even her mobile phone has been switched off. I am left with no other option than to cry out to the general public, having reported to the police station and also traced her home town,”she stated.