Bayelsa State Police Command says its operatives have rescued two stolen children that were trafficked to Abia and Enugu States.
The command also said it arrested four suspects allegedly involved in the illicit business.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Asinim Butswat, the command identified the members of the four-man child-trafficking syndicate as Sunday Aniele, Chioma Obi, Kingsley Chimobi and Harriet Chukwu.
The command said the suspects “have admitted to collecting one million six hundred thousand naira only, for the two children”.
It noted that the children, four-year-old Success and two-year-old Prince– a female and a male– were stolen around the Igbogene community in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on June 19, and recovered on July 21 and 22.
The command said its men from the Gender Unit and the State Criminal Investigation Department apprehended Aniele and Obi at Ughelli, Delta State, on July 7 and picked up Chimobi and Chukwu at Onitsha, Anambra State three days later, following a discreet investigation.
It said, “The children namely; Success ‘f’ four years and Prince ‘m’ two years were stolen by one Sunday Aniele ‘m’ 22 years and Chioma Obi ‘f’ 24 years, on 19th June 2023, at Igbogene, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
“On that fateful day, Chioma Obi who claimed to be a sister of Sunday Aniele took the children away under the guise of purchasing drugs for them, unknown to their parents the children were taken out of the State to an unknown destination.
“After a diligent investigation by police operatives, crisscrossing Delta, Anambra, Enugu, and Abia States, Sunday Aniele and Chioma Obi were arrested at Ughelli, Delta State on 7th July 2023. Subsequently, one Kingsley Chimobi ‘m’ 28 years, and Harriet Chukwu ‘f’ 36 years were arrested at Onitsha, Anambra State on 10th July, 2023.
“Further investigation took the police team to Enugu, where Success ‘f’ 4 years was recovered on 21st July 2023, and Abangwa, Abia State where Prince ‘m’ 2 years was recovered on 22 July 2023. The suspects have admitted to collecting one million six hundred thousand Naira only, for the two children.”
The statement said the Commissioner of Police, Tolani Alausa, has directed the investigating unit to conclude its investigation and charge the suspects to court.
