The Nigerian Police force in Akwa Ibom State have busted child trafficking and theft syndicate who take possession of pregnant girls until delivery and sell out the babies reportedly at the rate of N400,000 and N300,000 for male and female respectively. in Oruk Anam council of the oil rich state.
We sell male for N400,000 ,
female for N300,00 says suspect
The suspects are one
Ndukeabasi Ndianabasi Okon, f, of Nung Ukim village Uyo and her husband one Ndianaabasi Okon, who is
now at large.
Police Public Relations
Officer, Frederick N-Nudam , Chief Superintendent of Police, who made the disclosure, said the Police
acted on a tip-off , immediately swooped on the ‘’babies factory’’, rescuing
two pregnant teenage victims, one Peace Okon Sunday, 17, from Eka Ediene Village with seven pregnancy
and Esther Victor Jeremiah 15, of Ikot Inyang Village.
According to him, the female
suspect during interrogations confessed that she and her husband now at large
have been in the illicit business since 2016, adding that they normally sell
male and female children at the rate of N400,000 and N300,000 respectively.
CSP N-nudam also disclosed
that a combined team of Itu Division and Anti-Child Theft equally intercepted
an 18-seater a bus with registration number YEN 709 XA, conveying six under age
children and that during investigation, the suspects, one Esther Asuquo Akpan,
42, and Otobong Solomon Akpan21, confessed that they were taken the victims to
Osun State for child labour.
The victims included, Elisha
Joseph Akpan, 12, Emmanuel Peter Edim, 14, Elijah Victor Michael, 15, Saviour
Etete Amos, 16, Effanga Asuquo Etim, 16, , David Sunday Akpan, 16, all male of
Akpabuyo, Cross River and that .
He said the Command had
transferred the children to Ministry of Women Affairs for custody, while the
suspects were charged to court.
Meanwhile, the Police have
also arrested one Peace Bassey Okon who allegedly abducted one Joy Effiong
Ekpeima, 16, and Peace Effiong Ekpeima, 17, in November, 2019 and taken them to her sister house in Ogun
State, denying them access to contact
their parents even as she subjected them
to forced labour and exploitation .
He said, ‘’During
questioning, suspect admitted sending the victims to her sister without their
parents or guardians consent.
‘’Investigation revealed
that the suspect took advantage of the victims being dropped out of school
occasioned by their parents inability to pay their school fees and abducted
them for forced labour
‘’In view of the above,
operatives proceeded to Ogun State and arrested the suspect’s sister one Sandra
Bassey who took custody of the victims. Suspects have been charged to court.’’