Police File Charges Against Eight Over Missing Baby In Bayelsa

The Bayelsa State Police Command has charged eight suspects to court over the disappearance of a one-year-10-month-old girl, Amarachi Blessing Ogbonna, from a church premises in the state.

Amarachi reportedly disappeared from the church premises on June 21, 2026, prompting an investigation by the police. The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Musa Mohammed, said in a statement on Friday that the Violent Crime Response Unit took over the investigation from the Ekeki Division on the Commissioner of Police's directive.

Mohammed said the unit commenced investigations which led to the identification and arrest of suspects allegedly connected to the child's disappearance. According to the statement, the eight suspects have been charged before the High Court of Bayelsa State, Yenagoa Judicial Division, in Charge No. BYHC/YHC/CR./81/2026, and are awaiting arraignment.

The police said they released other persons whose involvement was not established on bail. The command also dismissed claims on social media that it had been inactive in the case, explaining that the delay in arraigning the suspects was due to the court's vacation.

"The narrative does not reflect the true nature of event," the command said.

It added that the courts resumed proceedings this week and the case was expected to proceed accordingly.

The police said the investigation into the disappearance remains ongoing, with efforts focused on locating the missing child and reuniting her with her family. The command said it was pursuing all credible leads and would continue to take lawful steps to establish the circumstances surrounding the child's disappearance. It urged the public to exercise caution when relying on unverified information circulating on social media, particularly in sensitive cases involving children.