By Ado Oyeyemi
The Ogun State Government has proposed legislation to abolish the practice of waiting 24 hours before reporting missing persons, describing immediate reporting as critical to successful rescue operations and investigations.
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade (SAN), disclosed this on Tuesday during a radio interview in Ilese-Ijebu while explaining one of four criminal justice bills recently approved by the State Executive Council for transmission to the House of Assembly.
According to him, the proposed Missing Persons Bill is designed to establish a comprehensive legal framework for handling missing persons cases, improve police response and eliminate delays that often frustrate rescue efforts.
Ogungbade said the bill would make it mandatory for cases of missing persons to be reported immediately, ending the long-standing practice of advising relatives to wait 24 or 48 hours before approaching security agencies.
He noted that studies have consistently shown that the first 24 hours after a person’s disappearance are the most critical for locating victims, making prompt reporting essential.
The commissioner explained that the proposed law would also prescribe penalties for individuals who fail to report the disappearance of persons whose whereabouts they are reasonably expected to know, including parents and guardians.
He lamented that his office receives numerous reports of missing persons involving both children and adults, adding that existing laws have not adequately empowered security agencies to respond swiftly.
Ogungbade cited several unresolved disappearance cases in the state, including that of a former university student who reportedly vanished after leaving campus to visit her boyfriend in Sagamu and another woman who disappeared in Ota.
He further explained that investigators often face delays in accessing banking, telecommunications and other digital records required to trace missing persons, a challenge the proposed legislation seeks to address.
Under the bill, law enforcement agencies would be able to obtain relevant records more quickly through enhanced collaboration among the Ministry of Justice, the Nigeria Police Force and the judiciary.
In emergency situations, security agencies may also request such information directly from service providers, subject to legal provisions.
The Attorney General added that the legislation would introduce rapid response measures for child abduction cases, including immediate alerts to transport unions, motor parks and other strategic stakeholders to prevent victims from being moved outside the state.
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He expressed confidence that the proposed law would strengthen Ogun State’s efforts to combat kidnapping, ritual killings and other crimes linked to missing persons, while improving the chances of rescuing victims promptly.
