Photo: Dumb teenage boy missing!

The whereabout of 15-year-old Ebu­ka Azudiugwu has left his father,Mr. John Lawrence Azudiugwu and other members of the family traumatized and heart­broken for the past two months that the dumb teenage boy has not re­turned home. 

 Azudiug­wu narrated to Sunday Sun, how he came home on the night of October 5, 2015, and learnt to his horror that his son was missing from the house. He met other members of the family searching for Ebuka.He said 

“As I returned from work that Monday, I was told they were looking for my son. 
At first, I actually believed that he was going to return that same day, though it was already night when I got home. I couldn’t sleep well that night, especial­ly when it was deep into the night. As at that time, many evil thoughts began to run through my mind,” he said.

He stated that he became very worried and afraid that some­thing bad might have happened to Ebuka, but he was not sure of what exactly could have be­fallen him.

“The following morning, I went to Pako Police Station to lodge a complaint. The policemen collected all the necessary information from me and assured me that they would do everything possible to trace my son. I later went to Ijora and Orile Police Stations to also inform them of my ordeal.
“Later on, while we were ask­ing people around if they came across Ebuka, some people said they saw him the following day in a certain area, but they were not aware that he was missing from home. I would not know how true that was. But I don’t want to believe that he is dead. Why will anyone kill him?”

Azudiugwu who hails from Isieke village in Okija town, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State described Ebuka as a quiet and easy-going boy loved by everyone in the neighbourhood, and who is fair in complexion. He said that the teenager had an ailment when he was a toddler, and further revealed that the health incident caused him speech impairment. Following what seemed like recovery from the unfortunate illness, Ebuka was no longer able to speak, but he retained full hearing ability.

Until his disappearance, the teenager lived with his par­ents and four siblings at 13, Olumoku Street, Amukoko area of Ajegunle, Lagos State.

As he spoke with Sunday Sun, tears welled up in the reddened eyes of Azudiug­wu, who strives to care for his family with income earned as a commercial motorcyclist

However, Azudiugwu is also perturbed by the fact that since Ebuka could not speak, evil-minded persons might have capitalized on that to abduct him since, he could not scream, and then quietly lead the inno­cent boy away.
The distressed father said he had taken his son’s name and picture to his local church for prayers in the earnest hope and belief for divine intervention in the situation of his son. He called on the police, hospitals and members of the public to help him locate his son.

Ebuka’s mother, Victoria, has been weeping and praying everyday for her son to return home unharmed. The hapless mother of the missing teenager had gone out on the fateful day to hawk cooked food at a con­struction site, which she does to earn a pittance to support her husband in caring for the fam­ily. When she came home that Monday evening, October 5, after the day’s sales, which now seems like a Black Monday, to hear the heart-rending story that her first born was missing, Vic­toria, like Rachel in the Bible, she raised her voice in lamenta­tion and profusely wept.

Mr. Christian Okoligwe, who is a family friend to the Azudiugwu’s, told Sunday Sun, how his heart cut after Ebuka’s father narrated his ordeal to him. He said he was moved by the pathetic story and had since taken the poor and dejected father to different places, including media houses, where he could seek help that may lead to unraveling the mystery surrounding Ebuka’s whereabouts.