The Rivers State Police Command says its operatives have rescued 15 children allegedly kidnapped and kept in the house of a fake Reverend Sister in Aluu, Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state.
The state Commissioner of Police, Friday Eboka, disclosed this in Port Harcourt, the state capital at a press briefing on Tuesday.
Eboka said the woman, Maureen Wechinwu, 44, who claimed to be a Reverend Sister, was arrested following credible information on child traffickers.
He revealed that some of the minors narrated to him how they were “kidnapped” and given to the suspected fake Reverend Sister who allegedly sell them to her customers both within and outside the state.
He said, “Operation Restore Peace personnel of the Command, acting on credible information regarding the hideout of child traffickers, stormed Omuigwe Abuja Phase II, Aluu, in Ikwerre Local Government Area.
“A lady who claimed to be Rev. Sister, Maureen Wechinwuz was arrested. Fifteen children ranging from seven to nine years were rescued. The case has been transferred to CP Monitoring Unit for discrete investigation.
“It took us over 24 hours before we could extract any information from the children. Some of them who could talk recounted their experiences with the woman.
“One of them known as Prosper Godwin informed us that on the 31st of October, 2020, he was abducted at Ikpazasia market in Bayelsa State, together with two others whom he did not know their whereabouts and was taken to the suspects.
“Later, he was sold to a woman in Lagos. Unfortunately, on getting to Lagos, the woman who bought him realised that the boy was too sharp, and returned him to the seller. That was how he managed to come back to that place (Aluu in Rivers).”
Some of the children rescued are Emmanuel Wechinwu ‘m’ 6yrs, Queen Harry ‘f’ 7yrs, Chinwendu Wechinwu ‘f’ 15yrs, Ogadinma Destiny Wechinwu ‘m’ 5yrs.‘
The Police commissioner further disclosed that of the 15 children, five of their parents have been contacted, while noting that, “We have yet to locate the parents of the remaining 10 children for identification. Investigation is ongoing with the view of arresting other suspects linked in the case.”
Speaking to journalists at the police headquarters, the suspect who claimed that she used to be a Reverend Sister in England, admitted that she “pays some people to supply” some of the children.
Meanwhile, other suspects numbering 21 were also paraded for various crimes including, gun running, armed robbery and car theft.
