A child trafficking syndicate, including three women, operating within and outside Rivers State, have been arrested by the police.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, who made this known in a statement on Friday, said the arrests followed a complaint lodged by a woman in Ubima, in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state, that her child was missing.
Iringe-Koko added that men of the Commissioner of Police Monitoring Unit swooped on the prime suspect, Mercy Enyindah, who had visited the victim’s mother earlier.
The statement read in part, “Following up on a complaint by Ms. Precious Friday of Ubima community in the Ikwerre LGA of Rivers State that her child was missing, operatives of the Commissioner of Police Monitoring Unit swung into action.
“They arrested one Mercy Enyindah, who incidentally visited the complainant’s home shortly before the disappearance of the child.
“The arrest of Enyindah, who confessed to stealing the child and two other children, along with her accomplice, Amaka Ewuzie, between February 16th and March 2023, led to the arrest of one Chialuka Iheanacho and her husband, Chukwuma Iheanacho, in Delta State.
“Other members of the gang said to be in Imo State are still being trailed. While some of the rescued children have been reunited with their parents, efforts are ongoing to rescue two-year-old Jasper Friday, sold at Asaba, Delta State.
“The command request all well-meaning and public-spirited persons to furnish the police with information that could lead to the rescue of the child.”
The PPRO advised parents to be wary of exposing their children to visitors, adding that the suspects would be charged for the crime.