POLICE PARADE 3 SUSPECTS IN ABAKALIKI FOR TRAFFICKING 32 UNDERAGED PERSONS
REPORTER: AMECHI ODO
Police in Ebonyi State have rescued thirty-two under aged children trafficked from different parts of the country and subjected to forced labour and sexual exploitation in Abakaliki.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Mrs. Loveth Odah, stated this while parading three suspects in connection with the trafficked victims at ‘B’ Police Division of Ebonyi State Police Command.
Mrs. Oda explained that the command had been receiving reports on cases of missing under aged children without traces in the area.
She noted that while trying to crack the mystery, operatives of the command scooped up a lead and subsequently arrested a suspect, who led them to Okposi Umuoghara in Ezza North Local Government Area where thirty-one trafficked victims were rescued and two more suspects arrested.
The PPRO said the police also rescued another victim, who was trafficked to Imo State on the pretense that he was going to join networking business.
“The suspects made a useful statement to the police and led the Police Operatives to their hideout at Okposi Umuoghara where two other gang members were arrested.
“One Nwagboduhu Ekene ‘m’ aged 20yrs and Nwoko Godwin ‘m’ aged 24yrs and 32 Trafficked under aged Children were rescued from them.(16 male and 15 female) who are indigenes of Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Benue, Abia, and Rivers State but Chidera Nwankwo was not among those rescued here in the state,” the PPRO remarked.
Two of the rescued victims explained that those who trafficked them gave them fliers at International and Kpirikpiri markets all in Abakaliki and subsequently moved them to Imo and Delta States when they attended their interview session.
“They met me in the market gave me a flier and asked me to attend their interview. They told me to come with my cloths after which they asked me to join them to Imo State for networking business. They also met me at International market and I joined them to Delta State,” they told their story.
Two of the suspects, Godwin Nwaoko and Ekene Nwaogboduhu denied their involvement in the alleged trafficking of the children, emphasising that they were into genuine networking business.
Some of the rescued victims were reunited with their parents while the police said the suspects would be arraigned in court after further investigations.