Two arrested in Asaba for stealing 3 children from Niger State

The Delta State Police Command has arrested two suspected child traffickers in Asaba and also rescued 3 children from them, PUNCH Mobile reports.

Bright Edafe, the acting Police Public Relations Officer in the state confirmed this statement on Tuesday.

He said;

On Sunday, June 20, 2021, a sequel to the unrelenting manhunt for child traffickers, intelligence at the command’s disposal revealed that a girl was seen roaming around a church premise in Asaba, which attracted some good Samaritans, who suspected that all was not well with her.

“The Commander, Eagle Net Special Squad, detailed operatives to the scene, and the child was brought to the station.

“Preliminary investigation later revealed that she was kidnapped along with three other kids by unknown men in a car, while they were playing in their village’s surroundings in Niger State.

“The victim, Jamila Shagari, 16, also narrated that she was 12 years old when she was kidnapped and brought to one Mrs. Gloria Ugbebor, 39, who is a resident of No. 15 Kingdom Hall, Umunede community in Delta State.

“The victim’s name was changed to Dorcas Peter by the said suspect before she was taken to Lagos, where she was handed over to one Azubuike. She served him as a house help for two years; after much suffering in Azubuike’s house, she returned to Mrs. Gloria Ugbebor in Umunede, who later handed her over to one Mrs. Vera Olunwa, 62, in Asaba.”

The acting PPRO also confirmed that Olunwa and Ugbebor have been arrested while the children under Ugbebor custody, Nuhu Yohanna, 12, and Abednego Joshua, 11 have already been rescued as well.

In addition, the command said efforts are on to locate the parents of the children and also apprehend the accomplices of the women.

The kidnapping of school children especially has been on a rampage in Nigeria in the past few years. Recently, armed men suspected to bandits kidnapped about 200 Islamiyya students in Niger State

Other kidnappings that have taken place in recently include students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Kaduna, students of Greenfield University, Kankara Boys among others.