The Anambra State Police Command, Tuesday, announced the arrest of a middle-aged woman suspected to be a child trafficker. Nasoweseeam Online recalls that on 22/10/2019, following an intelligence report, police detectives attached to the Anambra State Command arrested three female suspects at Nkpor market/Tarzan junction in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.
According to a release by the police public relations officer of the state command, SP Haruna Mohammed, further investigations into the matter showed that the children were stolen from Gombe State by one Hauwa Musa, ‘f’, on 20/10/2019, and brought to her accomplices in Anambra State. He stated that following the public announcement by the command on 27/10/2019, parents of the two kids from Gombe State came to Awka and identified their children, adding that the children had since reunited with their parents, and suspects handed over to the Gombe State Police Command for further investigations and prosecution.
He further stated that “Upon interrogations, the suspects voluntarily confessed that they usually steal children and bring to their sponsor, one Mrs Nkechi Odinye, who allegedly buys the children in Anambra State at the rate of between N200, 000 and N400,000, depending on their age and gender.
“On 31/8/2020, following the confession, and while acting on a tip-off, police detectives attached to 3-3 Division, Onitsha, in collaboration with operatives attached to the Command Special Anti-Cult Section (SPACS), stormed the hideout of the principal suspect, one Nkechi Odinye, ‘f’, aged 55 years old, and effected her arrest at Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. The suspect, who evaded arrest for over three years, has remained on the run, busy changing locations until her arrest.”
Mohammed said the team also rescued twelve children of various age brackets, comprising eight boys and four girls suspected to have been stolen from different parts of the country under her custody, explaining that the children were presently under protective care while investigations were ongoing.
Meanwhile, the commissioner of police in the state, CP John B. Abang, has called on parents and guardians to always monitor their children and caution them against following strangers. The CP further enjoined the public whose children were either stolen or missing to report at 3-3 Police Station, Onitsha, for proper identification and possible claims. See more photos below;
