Anambra State Police Command says it has successfully rescued twelve allegedly stolen children, 8 boys and 4 girls, in the custody of a suspected child trafficker.
The suspect, Nkechi odinye aged 55 years, was allegedly arrested in a hideout at Obosi in Idemili Council Area of Anambra State, with all twelve children after 3 years of evading arrest, according to a statement by the Spokesperson of the Police in Anambra, Haruna Mohammed.
The PPRO said the arrest was as a result of action that followed the confession of three female child traffickers arrested in 2019, that the said Nkechi Odinye allegedly buys children from them.
“It would be recalled that on the 22nd of October, 2019 following intelligence report, Police detectives attached to Anambra State Command arrested three female suspects at Nkpor market/Tarzan junction in Idemili North LGA of Anambra State.
“Investigation revealed that the children were stolen from Gombe State by one Hauwa Musa ‘f” on the 20th of the same month and brought to her accomplices in Anambra State.
“Following the public announcement by the Command, parents of the two kids from Gombe State came to Awka, identified and reunited with their children, while the suspects were 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 Nkechi Odinye, who allegedly buys the children here in Anambra State at the rate of between two hundred and four hundred thousand naira, depending on their age and gender,” he recalled.
The Police PRO in Anambra said on the 31st of August, 2020, following the confession and while acting on a tip off, police detectives attached to 3-3 Division Onitsha in Collaboration with Operatives attached to the Command Special Anti-Cult Section (SPACS), stormed the hideout of the principal suspect, Odinye and effected her arrest at Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
“The suspect who evaded arrest for over three years has remained on the run, busy changing locations until her arrest. The team equally rescued twelve children of various age brackets, comprising 8 boys and 4 girls, reasonably suspected to have been stolen from different parts of the country under her custody. The children are presently under protective care while investigation is still ongoing,” he said.
Mohammed reiterated the call of the State Commissioner of Police, John Abang, on parents and guardians to always monitor their children and caution them against following strangers.
“The CP further enjoins the public whose children were either stolen or missing to report at 3-3 Police Station Onitsha for proper identification and claim of their children,” the PPRO said.
