Two female tenants whose names were given as Mercy and Rose have reportedly disappeared with their landlord’s two children at Utese community, Edo State.

The Nation reports that the missing children; Amada, 4, and Christabel, 2, were left in the custody of the tenants while their mother went to the stream to wash clothes.

Reports said the tenants, who hailed from Cross River State, were said to have moved to the community about three weeks ago and told their landlord that one was a farm hand while the other works as a hairdresser.

It was learnt that when their curious neighbours broke into their room, they discovered that the two tenants had taken their few belongings and eluded.

The residents told the distraught parents that they saw the tenants stopping vehicles on the highway but thought they were taking the children out as usual.

Addressing reporters in Benin, the state capital, mother of the missing children, Faith Osaruoname, said she used to leave her children with the tenants whenever she was going out.

The mother of the children whose name was simply given as Osaruoname said it was when her husband returned that it dawned on her that the tenants had fled with her two daughters.

She said,

“I have been calling the numbers of those girls and they were switched off.”

Father of the children, Omokpia Osaruoname, said he has reported the matter at the Okada Police Division.

Omokpia said,

“I don’t have their photographs; I don’t know anything about them.”