Three pupils of Wisdom Child International School, Borokiri, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, who had took to there heels have reported themselves to the police.
Naomi, Faith and Sarah who had allegedly told the police that they ran away as a result of maltreatment they went through in from their stepmother.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the pupils, aged between 13 and 16, are siblings and lived with their stepmother in the Borokiri area.
They had left home for school on Tuesday, November 21, 2017, but fled to a former neighbour’s house in Mile 3.
A head teacher at the school, who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone, explained that the pupils had been living with the unnamed stepmother since their parents divorced.
He said they had earlier complained at the school about how the woman maltreated them, adding that the management intervened.
The teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “The problem was from the home. The children were staying with their stepmother. It was actually as a result of maltreatment that they ran from home.
“They always complained about the stepmother, who came to tell us that one of them was stubborn and wayward. We tried to advise them to manage the situation but unfortunately it degenerated to this point, which is embarrassing to the school.
“They ran away from home under the guise that they were coming to school and diverted to Mile 3 to stay with their former neighbour. The matter had already been reported to the police and some people must have told them that the police were looking for them. So, they went to report themselves to the police. We initially thought it was a case of kidnapping.”
The head teacher said the police thereafter arrested the stepmother for child abuse, adding that the children were with the police.
“Their father is not always at home. He is two weeks away at work and some days at home,” he added.
The Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the incident and the arrest of the stepmother.
He said, “The children were being maltreated by their stepmother and they decided to leave her custody. They went to a church, where they were for some time. The stepmother is helping us with investigations and we are doing our best to give the children justice.”
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