A family in Ondo State is calling for a thorough investigation after the bodies of three siblings were discovered near a stream inside the 32 Artillery Brigade Army Barracks in Akure.
According to Tripod Times, the victims were 11-year-old twins, Joshua and Jacob Jonah, and their 5-year-old sister, Blessing.
Their father, Samuel Jonah, a farmer and security personnel working within the barracks, said he does not believe the children drowned and suspects foul play may have been involved.Jonah explained that on Friday, September 4, he and his wife took the children to their farm before he left around noon to collect his salary. After returning with his wife, they told the children to continue playing and come home by 6 p.m.
“When we got home at 6 p.m. and did not see them, I started to worry. By 8 p.m. there was still no sign of them, so I took my motorcycle back to the farm,” Jonah said.
He reported the children missing to the Military Police and joined a search operation that continued into Saturday morning. The family also searched their church.
The children’s uncle, Mazi Hassan, described the incident as heartbreaking and appealed to the government to ensure justice is served.
“Three children from one family cannot just die like that. Government should investigate and bring those responsible to book,” he said.
Hassan also alleged that a similar incident had previously occurred within the barracks.
Confirming the incident, Ondo State Police spokesperson DSP Jimoh Abayomi said the children had accompanied their father to the farm before they were reported missing.
“A search was conducted and their bodies were found on September 5 near a small river within the farm.
“We are documenting the circumstances and investigation is ongoing,” Abayomi stated.
The bodies have since been released to the family for burial.
The spokesperson for the 32 Artillery Brigade in Akure, Omale Innocent, said he became aware of the incident through social media and confirmed that the police are handling the investigation.As of the time of reporting, the official cause of death has not been established, while the family says they will continue seeking answers until the truth is uncovered.
