Police launch investigation into deaths of Five Children found in abandoned vehicle

The Nasarawa State Commissioner of Police, Shetima Jauro-Mohammed, has ordered a thorough investigation into the tragic deaths of five children in the Agyaragu community, situated in Obi Local Government Area of the state.

This directive was contained in a statement issued on Monday in Lafia by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Superintendent Ramhan Nansel. According to the statement, the lifeless bodies of the children were discovered inside a disused, abandoned vehicle parked on the premises of one Mr Abu Agyeme.

Visibly distressed by the development, the Commissioner extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and urged parents, guardians, and vehicle owners to remain vigilant, stressing the need to prevent children from gaining unsupervised access to parked or abandoned vehicles.

The police revealed that the incident was reported on Sunday at approximately 5:30 p.m. by a resident, Mr Ozimna Ogbor, who disclosed that the children, aged between six and ten years, were found unconscious inside the unused vehicle.

Upon receiving the report, police officers promptly arrived at the scene and found the children locked inside the non-operational car. The victims were immediately taken to Aro Hospital in Agyaragu, where a medical doctor sadly confirmed all five had died, with suffocation suspected as the cause.

“This tragic incident is reminiscent of a similar case that occurred in August 2019,” Nansel noted. He further explained that due to the presence of severe heat burns on the children’s bodies, their remains were released to their respective families for burial, following official requests.