Bayelsa State Police Command officers rescued two abducted infants who were being trafficked to Abia and Enugu states, and arrested four people allegedly involved in the illegal trade.
The members of the four-man child-trafficking gang were identified as Sunday Aniele, Chioma Obi, Kingsley Chimobi, and Harriet Chukwu, according to a statement published on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Asinim Butswat.
The command confirmed that the suspects "admitted to collecting one million six hundred thousand naira only for the two children."
The children, Success, four, and Prince, two, were taken around the Igbogene community in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State on June 19, and were recovered on July 21 and 22.
The command stated that its men from the Gender Unit and the State Criminal Investigation Department nabbed Aniele and Obi on July 7 in Ughelli, Delta State, and Chimobi and Chukwu three days later in Onitsha, Anambra State, 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.”
Suspects will be arraigned in court once investigations are concluded.
