Juliana Francis
A physically challenged suspect, Abubakar Mohammed, 32, is among those arrested for stealing three years old child from his mother, with a buyer ready to pick up the child and hand over N800,000.
The Delta State Police Command has since arrested members of the syndicate and rescued the child.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bright Edafe, said that an investigation was launched after one Aisha Yusuf living at Abraka Community, Asaba, on the 13th of June, at about 8:30 am, reported that her three years old son, Abubakar Atiku was stolen by one Mohammed Isah, who is 35-year-old.
Edafe said: “Acting on the complaint, the Commissioner of Police Delta State, CP Wale Abass gave a marching order to the Divisional Police Officer in charge of ‘C’ Division Asaba, a Chief Superintendent of Police, Apu Torukeregha, to go all out to arrest the suspect and rescue the stolen child.
“In compliance with this directive, the DPO led operatives of the division Anti-crime patrol team on a frantic search for the stolen child. Acting on a tip-off, the team stormed Abraka Market Oshimili-South LGA, where the principal suspect Mohammed Isah was arrested.
“Upon interrogation, he confessed to the crime and led the operatives to arrest three other members of the child stealing syndicate namely; Ibrahim Sani, 23, Kabiru Ibrahim, 52, and Abubakar Mohammed, 32, a cripple. Preliminary investigation revealed that they belong to a child trafficking syndicate that steals children and sells them for a huge amount of money.
“The suspects led policemen to a hotel in Onitsha Anambra state where the team arrested one Suleiman Mohammed, 38 in whose custody the missing child was found.
“The suspect arrested in Anambra stated that he was waiting for the supposed buyer of the said child, and they have agreed to sell the child for the sum of N800,000. The child has been reunited with the mother, while the suspects are in custody, and the investigation is ongoing.”
In another development, men of the “A’ Division Warri Anti-Crime Patrol team, on the 12th of June, at about 8:am, while on visibility patrol along the African church behind Daudu Police Post, sighted a tricycle Reg No. BUR 240 VC conveying two male occupants heading towards their direction.
“When the team accosted the tricycle for a routine search, the duo jumped out and escaped, and the team chased but could not arrest them. When the search was carried out on the abandoned tricycle, one locally fabricated cut-to-size pistol was recovered, exhibits in custody, while manhunt for the fleeing suspects is ongoing,” said Edafe.
The image manager noted that the CP, therefore, solicited support from members of the public by giving useful, timely, and credible information to the Police while assuring them that their identities will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.
