A woman identified as Suliat Azeez has reasons to laugh again after welcoming triplets, 2 years after she lost two children to suspected kidnappers. The kids were born at the Suliat and her husband’s home on Aiyepe Avenue in the Okokomaiko area of Lagos State.
The newborns, two girls and a boy, were born on Thursday, February 28, 2019.
Back in November 2016, Suliat, a hairdresser in the Okokomaiko area, had taken a new apprentice, who claimed her name is Grace.
Grace, whose real name was discovered to be Gladys Austin, tricked Suliat’s two children, Kafayat (six) and Farouk (four), and ran away with the kid the same day she resumed at Suliat’s shop.
Police arrested the suspect in March 2017, for selling another child, identified as Oluwasemilore, to a ring of syndicates in Anambra, Abia and Enugu states.
Grace was identified by Suliat and her neighbours during an identification parade and upon questioning, denied abducting Suliat’s children, insisting that she did not know their whereabouts.
Suliat reportedly after then decided to end her own life by taking a local insecticide, Sniper. She was rescued but attempted suicide a second and third time.
Speaking withPUNCH Metro, Suliat said that she spent seven months in the village to recover from the shock of the missing kids before returning to Lagos.
“When the two children were kidnapped, we went to the SARS in Ikeja many times without any result. We also reported at the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan. We did everything we were asked to do. The police later asked us to return that they had found the suspect; we also identified her. They kept pushing us back and forth. They collected N50,000 from my husband. Later, they said the case file was missing. We spent a lot of money.
“I thought it was all over for me. I thought that I had no reason to live again since the children, who should be my future, were no more.
“That was why I took Sniper. But because God said it was not over for me and my time to die had not come, I did not die.
“When I returned from the village in January, I was advised to go back to my shop to reduce my worry. But by the time I returned, the landlord started making trouble with me. He gave me quit notice and even beat me up.
“We were recovering from that when we got information that our landlord had sold the house we were staying and we had just renewed our rent. It appeared that we would be homeless until my husband got this small place we are now managing.
“As you can see, everywhere is empty. We have sold all our property, including land, during this period. But God decided to surprise me.”
“After I was delivered of the first child, we expected the placenta to come out. But I was told that it was another baby. And while we expected another placenta, they told me that it was another baby again. When the nurses announced that I had had three children, tears of joy rolled down my cheeks. My husband also started crying.
“I still have the hope that God will complete my joy by returning my lost children. I solicit the prayers of Nigerians that wherever my children may be, they will be found.”
Suliat’s sister, Bilikisu Omokeji, also spoke with newsmen saying;
“When I got the news of her delivery around 6.30am, I laughed and cried at the same time. How wonderful is this God! Over two years ago, people joined us in walking the streets as we cried around in search of our lost children. And now this year, he has turned our sorrow to joy. God took the two children and I know, Insha Allah, they will return home,” Bilikisu stated.
The children’s father, Fatai, also soke on the arrival of the new kids saying;
“While I hope to be reunited with my missing children someday, I have accepted my fate. I believe nothing happens to any man without God’s knowledge. And He has vindicated me with these bundles of joy, which I never expected,” he added.
