Police nab child trafficker, rescue 12 stolen children
Detectives of the Anambra Police Command have apprehended three female suspects at Nkpor market/Tarzan junction in Idemili North LGA of the state who specialized in stealing children and minors from different parts of the country.
According to a release from the Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO), SP Haruna Mohammed, investigations have revealed that two of the children were stolen from Gombe State by one woman-Hauwa Musa on October 20, 2019 and brought to her accomplices in Anambra State.
However following a public service announcement by the Police Command a week later, the real parents of the two kids from Gombe State came to Awka, identified and collected their children, while,the suspects were immediately handed over to Gombe State Police Command for further investigation and prosecution.
Upon interrogation the suspects voluntarily confessed that they usually steal the children and bring to their sponsor one Mrs Nkechi Odinye who allegedly buys the children in Anambra State at an amount ranging between two hundred thousand and four hundred thousand Naira each, depending on their age and gender.
Following the confession the Police detectives attached to 3-3 Division Onitsha in collaboration with operatives of the Special Anti-Cult Section(SPACS) stormed the Obosi, Idemili North council hideout of the principal suspect Mrs Odinye, aged 55 years where she was arrested.
The police statement disclosed that the Suspect had evaded arrest for over three years.
At the hideout, the police team equally rescued twelve children of various age brackets, comprising eight boys and four girls reasonably suspected to have been stolen from different parts of the country.
The Children at present are under protective care as Investigation is still ongoing.
Consequently, the State Commissioner of Police John B.Abang, has urged parents and guardians to always monitor their children and caution them against following strangers.
The CP further enjoined the Public whose children were either stolen or missing to report at 3-3 Police Station Onitsha for proper identification and claim their children.
From Chuks Collins, in Awka
