Anambra Police Arrest 55-Year-Old Child Trafficker, Rescue 12 Children

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria, Nigeria 2015 Election Thursday, September 3rd, 2020

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The police in Anambra state, Southeast, Nigeria, has apprehended a middle-aged woman identified as Nkechi Odinye over alleged child trafficking operations.

According to police detectives attached to the State Command which carried out the operation, the suspect was arrested alongside three female suspects who were nabbed at Nkpor market/Tarzan junction in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.

According to a statement by the state police public Relations officer PPRO Haruna Mohammed, on Wednesday, said further investigations into the matter showed that the suspect was involved in the alleged stealing of two children from Gombe State through one Hauwa Musa, ‘f’, on 20/10/2019, “and brought to her accomplices in Anambra State.

“Following public announcement by the command on 27/10/2019, parents of the two kids from Gombe State came to Awka and identified their children”, adding that the children had since reunited with their parents, and suspects handed over to the Gombe State Police Command for further investigations and prosecution.

Mohammed added: “Upon interrogations, the suspects voluntarily confessed that they usually steal children and bring to their sponsor, one Mrs Nkechi Odinye, who allegedly buys the children in Anambra State at the rate of between N200, 000 and N400,000, depending on their age and gender.

He said: “On 31/8/2020, 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, one Nkechi Odinye, ‘f’, aged 55 years old, and affected 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.”

Mohammed said the team also rescued twelve children of various age brackets, comprising eight boys and four girls suspected to have been stolen from different parts of the country under her custody, explaining that the children were presently under protective care while investigations were ongoing.

Meanwhile, the commissioner of police in the state, CP John Abang, has called on parents and guardians to always monitor their children and caution them against following strangers.

The Anambra police boss further enjoined the public whose children were either stolen or missing to report at 3-3 Police Station, Onitsha, for proper identification and possible claims.