Police nab suspected child traffickers, rescue 3 kids in Ebonyi

 

By Victor Nwegede


Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested two suspected child traffickers and rescued three kids who were in their hostage.

The state Police Mouth-piece, DSP Mrs Loveth Odah said the suspected kidnappers were arrested yesterday in Abakaliki metropolis while addressing newsmen on Friday.

  
NATIONAL PANEL gathered that the abducted children by the suspected child-traffickers were four, but Police has already rescued three, and still making effort to recover one of them. 

It was also gathered that the rescued victims were Tochukwu Eze, male, 5years;  his brother - Wisdom Eze, male, 4 years, from Agubia in Ikwo LGA, and Sopuruchi Ugbo, female, 8 years, from Igbeagu in Izzi LGA of Ebonyi State.

The police spokesperson stated that one of the kidnapped kids (Sopuruchi Ugbo) had testified against one of the arrested suspects (a woman) to have been the one who abducted them in Ebonyi and moved to Enugu before being rescued.

Miss Sopuruchi with her mother, Mrs Ugbo.

According to her, "those child traffickers, who engaged themselves in stealing smaller children to move from one place to another were arrested in Ebonyi yesterday. I can actually beat my chest and say we burst children kidnapped syndicate yesterday. 

"We've gotten two and not just that alone. Children that were stolen about two weeks ago, came and identified the same woman to be the one  that has made away with two of them."


She added: "I was surprise, how do you know this woman, she said because of her fair complexion but I said that is not enough. She said the woman has wound on left hand side. And if you see the wound, that means what she said is the truth."


"When we removed her cloth from one side, behold the wound and that means the man and the woman who were responsible for kidnapping children in Ebonyi state were arrested yesterday." 



She added: They are three kids, the other bigger one who identified a woman yesterday and they were two, but the elder seems to be more intelligent, maybe the woman sensed danger if she goes away with this child, will result to be a different thing. 

"The little girl kept telling the woman that she has her mother's phone number and threatening to tell Police. She has to abandon the bigger one in Enugu and made away with the other one. So, we are yet to recover the smaller one, they made away with. I know our network will continue and we will get hold of that particular one."

She said the suspects were not paraded yet to avoid jeopardizing police investigation.

She as  the well commended the leadership of Governor David Nweze Umahi by  promoting a strong security network in the state, stressing that it was through a tricyclist's call that made Police to rescue the two kidnapped victims, Tochukwu and Wisdom Eze after nabbing the suspected kidnappers in Nkaliki in Abakaliki metropolis.

Tochukwu and Wisdom Eze with parents and auntie.

"These two said were sent an errand to buy biscuits, the suspected kidnappers were using the biscuits to entice them. They started telling them, brother give me the biscuits, instead of giving them the biscuits, they picked them with tricycle and zoomed off. It was the tricycle driver that saw them and imagined how those children were looking dirty, asking them if you want to travel, would yo allow your children to be this kind dirty and asked where they were going with these children. And immediately call us for not being satisfied with suspected kidnapper's response.


"The partnership between the police and residents of Ebonyi state yesterday paid off, somewhere at Nkaliki area. I was called that something happened, and before man and God, two children kidnapped by a woman and a man. Thank God we were able to arrest them, and bring these victims to the police.


"Like I use to tell that the security network of Ebonyi state is very high. We are in good synergy with the members of the public. They have never seen any suspicious movement and abandoned or keep quiet. They've been doing that and yesterday, it paid off," she said.



Meanwhile, the families Mr and Mrs Ogbonna Eze (the parents of Tochukwu and Wisdom)  with Mrs Monica Igbo ( mother of Sopuruchi)  of the kidnapped victims have thanked Police and commended individuals who contributed to the rescued their children.

 Mrs Ugbo also called for more assistance by the security and general public to rescuing one of her children who is still in the hostage of the kidnappers as she narrated her ordeals.