A three-year-old boy has been allegedly stolen in a church in Anambra State.

According to reports, the incident happened on Sunday during in Umunze in the Orumba South Local Government Area of the State.

A source said that the boy attended the church service with the mother, but went to play with his peers but never returned.

“The church quickly mobilise when it became clear that something was amiss and searched the neighbourhood for the boy, to no avail. It’s obvious the was stolen. This is the second case of this type of incident in our vicinity,” the source said.

The spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, Haruna Mohammed confirmed the incident.

He said the command had declared the boy missing, with the intent to let the public assist in the search.

Mohammed added,

” On July 28, at about 1 pm, there was a report at Umunze Police Station by Rev Fr Basil Ezekeli of St Joseph Catholic Church Umunze that a male child of about 3 years, Chimdindu Oledibe(aka Bobo) who came for church service with his mother, one Mrs Charity Oledibe went out of the church unnoticed during Sunday mass service and got missing.

“Following the discovery that the child was, the church immediately organised a search party and the entire church premises was searched but to no avail.

“In view of the foregoing, you are kindly requested to disseminate this message through your medium to enable the quick rescue of the child.

“Anyone with useful information about the missing child should either contact the nearest police station, St Joseph Catholic Church Umunze or call PPRO Anambra State Police Command”.