Crime
Army rescues nine children from suspected child trafficker in Enugu
The Nigerian Army has rescued nine children who are kidnap victims after arresting a suspected child trafficker in Enugu state.
The suspect was said to have specialised in moving children kidnapped from Plateau State in North Central zone to Rivers State in South-South zone of Nigeria.
Army said the arrest was part of the ongoing “Exercise Atilogwu Udo 1’’.
According to a statement issued Tuesday in Enugu by Col. Aliyu Yusuf, the Deputy Director, Public Relations of 82 Division of the Nigerian Army.
Yusuf said that a total of nine children, made up of four girls and five boys aged between two and 13 years, were recovered from the suspected child trafficker.
He gave the name of the child trafficker as Rebecca Nwachi, 40.
“At about 6 a.m. on Jan. 2, 2020; troops of Sector 5 of Exercise Atilogwu Udo 1 deployed at Orba Check-point in Udenu council area of Enugu State (within Nsukka general area) intercepted above-named woman with nine children.
“The trafficker was intercepted in a luxurious bus with registration number ANAMBRA NEN 429 ZD belonging to FG Onyenwe Company.
“The woman claimed she was taking the children from an orphanage in Jos, Plateau State to another orphanage in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
“The woman produced a handwritten document signed by a pastor, showing a list of the names of the children, as an official document to facilitate the transportation of the children.
“However, during the preliminary investigation, a family member of one of the children who was contacted revealed that the family was not aware of how one of the victims, named Joshua got to Nsukka.
“This was corroborated by other contacts that were thankful to Sector 5 army troops for intercepting the illegal trafficking,’’ he said.
The army spokesman said that the children, who were crying of hunger and claimed they had not eaten since yesterday, were consequently fed by the troops.
“The suspected trafficker and the children have been handed over to Enugu State Police Command’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation before handing them to NAPTIP, for necessary action,’’ he added.
-
News21 hours ago
Tinubu present at burial ceremony of slain Delta soldiers
-
News21 hours ago
FG declares friday and monday public holiday
-
News20 hours ago
Tinubu honours slain Delta soldiers with MON, OFR awards
-
Entertainment20 hours ago
Best-dressed female: I could have made similar mistake, says Femi Branch
-
Entertainment21 hours ago
Diddy’s associate arrested on drug charges
-
Metro24 hours ago
NSCDC arrest two suspects for forging district head’s signature
-
News5 hours ago
[ICYMI] NNPC denies fuel price adjustment
-
News21 hours ago
FG plans policies to stabilize of naira – Shettima