Three children lost their lives due to suffocation in a parked car in Ilorin
Shade Silifat Abdulkadir, the mother of the three children who tragically lost their lives due to suffocation in a parked car in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State last Sunday, has finally spoken out about the heartbreaking incident.
The 37-year-old mother shared poignant details about the final moments of her deceased children and made a heartfelt plea for assistance from fellow Nigerians. The three children who lost their lives were 10-year-old Maryam, 8-year-old Nudrah, and 2-year-old Mohammed.
All three children met a tragic end, succumbing to suffocation inside a car parked at their residence. The vehicle had been borrowed by their father from his elder brother.
Addressing the heart-wrenching incident at her family house in Ile Magaji, Taiwo Isale, Ilorin, Shade earnestly implored mothers to extend their support to her.
Recounting the unfortunate episode, Shade shared, "It unfolded on a Sunday, just minutes before 2:00 pm, right after I had finished preparing rice for them. My second daughter, Nudrah, expressed her preference for spaghetti over rice at school the following day (Monday)."
"I have funds in my shop and N700 in my Opay account, but I only have N200 in cash. My residence is at No. 8 Boluke area in Zango-Kulende, Ilorin. My shop is located at Oke-Andi, Zango, where I sell various provisions.
The cost of transportation to and from my home is N200. I explained to my children that if the money I have is not sufficient for their needs, I can borrow from someone until I reach the shop on Monday. This is a routine occurrence, and it's not the first time I've left them alone to run errands or attend to work, as I also provide catering services."
"My husband entered into another marriage without my early knowledge. Throughout our 11-year marriage, I've faced numerous challenges, and tranquility has been elusive.
He has been associating with a woman named Kafayat from Oke-Ode for a considerable period, and I was advised to be patient. Both our families are aware of this situation. Often, he returns home very late, around 11:00 pm, and leaves early in the morning. The upbringing of all our children has been marred by constant turmoil. In times of disagreements, he would, on occasion, expel me from our home in the middle of the night. His name is Jimoh Abdulkadir from Babanloma in Kwara South."
"He impregnated the girl, and unfortunately, the child passed away after birth. On the day of their wedding, he introduced his new wife to me. However, just last Saturday, the lady gave birth again. I am not his first wife; there was a lady who had a child for him before I came into the picture. When I married him, he was a single father, and his behavior was not like this.
"After the second wife had her child, my husband informed me, and I went to congratulate him. When I woke up on Sunday, I received a voice note from my husband, mentioning that Kafayat had moved to a new apartment, in case I still wanted to go and greet her. Their marriage hasn't even been a year, and they had a societal wedding, unlike mine, which was a Nikkah ceremony."
"On both Thursday and Saturday, I visited Kafayat at her new location as my husband had mentioned. Strangely, after these visits, his behavior towards me changed abruptly. If I slept in the bedroom, he would choose to sleep in the parlour, and vice versa. Despite my complaints, my family and friends advised me to be patient for the sake of the children.
"No one informed me about the naming ceremony; I only found out when people called to inquire about my absence," Shade disclosed.
She went on to mention that on Saturday, after the naming ceremony had concluded, her husband brought home a car owned by his elder brother. This car was used for various tasks during the event, including running errands and transporting items. "Before our marriage, his brother had been using the car, and it's not the first time my husband has borrowed it."
"If only we had discussed it during that time or if I had a premonition of what was to come, I would have advised him to return the car to its owner, who would need it for work on Monday. He didn't return the car and didn't park it at the event venue. Why did he have to leave it parked at the place where I am residing?
The car remained there from that Saturday until Sunday when the unfortunate incident occurred.
"After the children requested noodles to take to school the next day, I went to the shop to buy Indomie noodles for them. Before I left, my youngest, Mohammed, was crying, but I dismissed it, attributing it to the intense heat. I called Maryam, the eldest, to look after her siblings.
"Upon my return, I noticed that the children had scattered the entire room, and the door was left open. I also saw their shoes and assumed they wouldn't have ventured beyond the premises, as they would have put on their shoes if they were leaving the gate. The thought of the vehicle never crossed my mind, even for a second."
"The distance from my house to the shop is just a N100 bike ride. Upon my return, I called out for them but couldn't locate them. Initially, I thought they might be playing hide and seek. Despite checking every possible place, they remained elusive. My landlady had already left for work as she was on morning duty.
The neighboring flat was occupied by an elderly couple, and my children rarely entered their house, except on a few occasions.
When my search proved futile, I even checked inside the domestic well, but they were not there. Distraught, I took an Okada to the junction, tears streaming down my face, to seek help in finding my children.
Upon my return, I went to the door of the neighboring flat to inform them about my missing children. The woman's husband was already asleep.
She informed me that she had heard their cries about 10 minutes earlier when she was calling Maryam, questioning why she was quarreling with her siblings. Later, a gut feeling urged me to inspect the vehicle, and that's when I found them inside."
"I managed to open one of the doors and found them lying inside, but the other three doors remained locked. I questioned them about why they entered the car, which was unusual for them. However, their lifeless posture and lack of response terrified me. Despite my calls, there was no answer, and I began shouting for help.
The husband of the neighboring woman came to assist, forcing the remaining doors open and pulling Mohammed out, unfortunately injuring his hand in the process.
My cries attracted several people outside, some of whom scaled our security fence. We attempted to revive them by pouring water, but all efforts proved futile. It was these individuals who rushed them to Olutayo hospital, and I haven't seen them since."
"Until that Sunday morning, my husband and I were still not on speaking terms, although he slept in the house that day. Our issues or quarrels were not easily discernible to others because he continued to take us to the shop and drop us at home, with the children expressing their gratitude. If he needed to communicate with me, it was done through the children.
Prior to that day, he had sent Maryam to inquire from a nearby vulcanizer, Jamiu, about the cost of repairing one of the vehicle's tires," she explained.
The distressed mother continued, "Since the incident, I haven't seen their dad, but I was informed that he came to our family house. He has also called me twice, dismissing my feelings and asking when I plan to come home or what my sentiments are."
"The police arrived, and I shared the details with them. They mentioned that the Inspector General of Police was concerned and personally contacted the Commissioner of Police to inquire about the situation in Kwara State before dispatching officers here.
Despite the challenges, my faith in Almighty Allah, along with the supportive people God has placed around me, is what keeps me going."
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