- The police commissioner described child stealing and trafficking as crimes against humanity which should not be condoned in any society.
- He said that during the year, the command charged 399 cases to court, conclusively prosecuted 19 and got 15 convictions.
The Cross River Police Command has paraded a couple, Mr. Idongesit Akpan and his wife Angela, for alleged child theft and trafficking.
The police also presented other suspects implicated in various crimes within the state.
Commissioner of Police Gyogon Grimah stated that the couple deceived their Facebook friend, Ms. Blessing Godday, with a fake job offer in Akamkpa.
“Following the promise of a job, she travelled to Akamkpa with her two sons, aged five and three respectively.
“Upon arrival at Akamkpa on Dec. 6, they took her and the two children to Aba in Abia State where she was separated from her children.
“When Godday could not see her children again, she returned to Akamkpa, traced the suspects’ home and brought in the police,” he said.
Grimah revealed that investigations uncovered the couple’s involvement in child theft and trafficking.
“They had earlier sold a six-year-old child for N800,000, they have concluded plans to sell Godday’s children for N2.4 million,” he said.
The police commissioner emphasized that child theft and trafficking are heinous crimes that should not be tolerated.
In 2024, the command prosecuted 399 cases, securing 15 convictions and conclusively resolving 19 cases.
“Four of the cases were discharged but not acquitted, two are on appeal, 376 are awaiting trial, and 48 have been transmitted to the director of public prosecution for advice,” he said.
Speaking to newsmen, Akpan admitted to luring Godday to Akamkpa to sell her children, adding: “but this is our first time to indulge in child stealing.”
Akpan stated, “We do not even know how much we would have been given for the sale of the children, we truly regret our actions now.”
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