The Police in Ebonyi State, Southeast Nigeria have rescued 32 underage Children from suspected human traffickers.
This was disclosed to Journalists by the Police Spokesperson, Superintendent of Police, Mrs Loveth Odah in Abakaliki the State Capital.
The Police Spokesperson said this rescue came as a result of the complaints that got to the Police about missing children from various parents.
“On the 7th of January, 2022 at about 9:30hrs, a case of Missing Person was reported by Mrs Nwankwo Ijeoma of Oterufe Village in Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, that her daughter Nwankwo Chidera 14 years left home to unknown destination”
“In the course of Investigation, a Company’s advertisement flyer, captioned NEO Life containing a phone number was found in the daughters’ room. The Owner of the phone number who was later identified as Christian Nwankwo Male 19 years was trailed and arrested”
She said the arrested suspect made a useful statement which helped the Police Operatives to locate their main hideout at Okposi Umuoghara in Ezza North Local Government Area of the State, where two other of his gang members were arrested as well.
” Two of his gang members are Nwagboduhu Ekene and Nwaoko Godwin at that point, 32 trafficked underage Children were rescued from them”. She added.
“The rescued children are indigenes of Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers State but Chidera Nwankwo was not among those rescued in Ebonyi State but in Imo state.
She said investigation showed that the children are trafficked from different parts of the country and being used for forced Labor and sexual exploitation.
She added that “the Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr Garba Aliyu has called on parents to pay keen attention to the whereabouts of their children and wards to avoid being subjected to force labor and abuse.
Odah urged members of public who are looking for their children to come to Police Headquarters Ebonyi State Command for identification and reuniting with their children.
On their part, some of the parents who were there to claim their trafficked children, Mrs Nwankwo Ijeoma, Parent of Chidera Nwankwo who was rescued in Imo state and Mr Nwizi the father of Nwizi Chibuike who was also rescued and handed over to the parents by the police both expressed joy over the hardworking nature of Nigeria Police who helped to rescue their children from the suspected traffickers.
Meanwhile, the suspected human traffickers denied their involvement in human trafficking, and insisted that they are doing their legitimate business. They also denied engaging under-aged children in their company’s affairs.
