Anambra State Police Command on Monday said it has rescued a 3-year old girl allegedly stolen by one Chinwendu Umegbaka, who planned to sell her and is presently going after the buyers.
The suspect, Chinwendu aged 29 years, is a native of Isinkwo Abaomege in Ebonyi State but resides at Nwawulu street, Okpoko in Ogbaru Council Area of Anambra State.
She was said to have stolen the child and hidden her somewhere from where she planned to sell her to some prospective buyer before the parents started looking for the child.
Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra, Tochukwu Ikenga who spoke with TNC correspondent in Anambra, said the police had profiled all the residents in the compound for questioning and singled the suspect Chinwendu out when she could not give any satisfactory answer to the questions posed to her.
According to him, the suspect later confessed to stealing the child and the Police have rescued the child and is presently working on picking up the buyers.
“When the Command’s operatives were alerted on the missing child, we immediately swung into action and interrogated the occupants of the compound.
“The 30 year old Chinwendu couldn’t provide any meaningful answer to the questions she was asked and we further interrogated her before she confessed to stealing the child,” he said.
Ikenga revealed that the command has successfully rescued the child and reunited her back with her parents.
“You will agree with me that if there is a seller, then there is a buyer.
“Since we have identified the seller in the person of the suspect, Chinwendu, we are going after the buyer.
“Let me assure you that the Anambra State police Command under the Commissioner of Police, CP Echeng Echeng is committed to unraveling those behind this syndicate, to ensure that we put an end to this illegal business,” he assured.
Ikenga said the development brings to the fore, the need for people to be mindful of who their neighbours are and for parents to be more careful in taking care of their children.
“Investigation is ongoing into the matter.
“We want to advise people to be conscious of their neighbours and what they are doing for a living.
“Also, parents should endeavor to be more careful in the way they take care of their children, especially those they entrust them under their care.
“While we are yet to ascertain the circumstances under which the child came into the custody of the suspect, it is clear that the lackadaisical attitude of the parents towards the girl was key in putting her in harm’s way.
“We therefore appeal to parents to be more careful the way they take care of their children,” the PPRO emphasized.
