Operatives of Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos State, have rescued five children after apprehending a suspected syndicate that specialises in child stealing and trafficking.
Assistant Inspector General, AIG, of Police in charge of Zone 2, Mr Adegoke Fayoade, confirmed the development to journalists in Lagos, on Monday.
Fayoade revealed that the rescued children, aged one to six comprised of four boys and a girl.
According to him, the zone, on January 8, received an intelligence report on the activities of the child trafficking syndicate.
“The intelligence revealed that the syndicate specialises in buying and selling new born babies, toddlers, as well as children of various ages.
“The syndicate is led by three persons comprising one who supplies the children, the other acting as a middle person and caregiver, while the third person is responsible for caring for the children before they are passed on to their prospective buyers.”
The AIG said the team led by CSP Ngozi Braide rescued the children whose identities had been messed up by the traffickers.
He explained that the traffickers in their modus operandi always change their victims identities as soon as the buying and selling is completed.
“The one-year-old boy was sold when he was one week old and the buyer resold him to another couple who currently reside in Italy, but kept the boy in the care of the syndicate’s caregiver.
“The three-year-old boy was sold in 2021 for N500, 000, while another one-year old boy was sold by his biological mother in September 2024 to an unknown individual.
“The boy was sold at the rate of N1.5 million to someone who resides within Alausa in Ikeja but was eventually recovered on January 28 in Owerri.
“The little boy was found in the care of a supposed nanny who claimed to have been employed by her younger sister, who resides with her husband in California, USA.
“The supposed nanny who was arrested in Owerri also had in her custody, the three-year-old girl, whom she claimed was brought to her as a new born baby by the same sister of hers in the USA,” Fayoade explained.
The police boss added that the six-year-old boy was however bought by the prime suspect, who claimed she bought him for N800, 000 in Mbaise, Imo State when he was just one-week old.
Fayoade, who said that the syndicate had a strong network and hardly missed its target, noted that they ran out of luck in its latest criminal operation. NAN
…Nab Suspect, Rescue Minor In Anambra
Anambra State Police Command has arrested a suspect, Joshua Simeon at Nkpor Central Motor Park in Idemili Local Government Area over alleged child trafficking.
The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday and made available to newsmen in Awka.
“Police operatives attached to Ogidi Area Command acting on credible information on February 1 by 4pm arrested Joshua Simeon, male, 32, from Ohaozara in Ebonyi State at Nkpor Central Motor Park, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
“The team also recovered a five-year old girl, Nkemdilim Jacob allegedly taken away by the suspect from her parents living in Umuota village Obosi,” he said.
Ikenga added that the suspect had already boarded a commercial vehicle and was enroute an unknown destination when he was arrested.
He said the suspect is in police custody and currently undergoing interrogation to ascertain his motives and determine whether the incident was part of a larger child trafficking network.
The PPRO notef that efforts are ongoing to reach out to the parents or relatives of the rescued child for possible reunion.
He assured the public that the command is committed to protect vulnerable members of the society, to combat child abduction, trafficking and ensure the safety and well-being of all children in the state. NAN
