The Anambra State Police has arrested two members of a child-stealing syndicate, who specialize in stealing children in Anambra State and selling them in Imo State.
Police also recovered a two-year-old boy, Testimony Obiajulu Azubuike, who was stolen by members of the syndicate and sold for N100,000 in Imo State.
Spokesperson of Anambra State Police Command, CSP Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the arrest of two members of the syndicate in a press statement, said the command acted on a tip-off.
Mohammed said, “On 22/01/2021 at about 5:pm, one Mrs Charity Ogochukwu Azubuike ‘F’ of Afam Ezialla Village Ihiala reported at Ihiala Police Station that her two years old son, Testimony Obiajulu Azubuike got missing inside the market and all efforts to locate him proved abortive.
“Following the report, police detectives commenced investigation and on the 23/1/2021, two suspects were arrested in Imo by our men, in collaboration with Imo State Police Command.”
He gave the name of the suspects as; Chinecherem Odurukwe, male, aged 19 years old, of Ogboro Isiala village Ihiala and Chinedu Adom, male, aged 10years of Umuozu Village of Nwangele LGA of Imo State.
It was gathered that Odurukwe uses the 10 years old suspect to lure the children using biscuits either in the markets, schools, or other isolated places and take them to Imo where they sell the children at the sum of One hundred thousand Naira (N100,000) only.
Mohammed said the suspects have voluntarily confessed to the crime, while little master Azubuike has been rescued and also in good health condition.
“He has been reunited with his parents and the case under investigation, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other accomplices in order to bring them to justice,” Mohammed said.
Reacting to this, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP John B. Abang has urged parents and guardians to always monitor their children and caution them against collecting items or following strangers in order not to fall victims of child stealing syndicates.
