The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has apprehended three suspects involved in child trafficking across different states. The arrested individuals are Utibeabasi Monday Enang from Obot Akara, Akwa Ibom; Mary Eunice from Asaba, Delta; and Bella Uko from Aba, Abia.
According to the Akwa Ibom Commissioner of Police, Olatoye Durosinmi, the suspects are linked to a case where Utibeabasi Enang deceived a woman named Peace Patrick Paul and stole her two children, aged three and five, in May. The stolen children were sold to Bella Uko in Aba, who further sold them to Mary Eunice in Asaba.
Durosinmi added that when the mother of the stolen children demanded the return of her kids, she was severely beaten and had to flee for her safety. The police commissioner also revealed another case involving a female suspect, Alayodi Paul Onyekwere from Rivers State, who was arrested for stealing an 11-year-old girl from Emmanuel Macauley Daniel in Ikot Ikot Village, Obot Akara LGA.
The mother of the stolen children, Peace Patrick, recounted how the suspect deceived her by promising to take her to a hospital for treatment, only to take her children and attempt to harm her later.
Another individual paraded was Sunday Michael Ben, who was accused of raping his six-year-old daughter. The suspect claimed innocence during questioning, suggesting that his girlfriend, who was present, might be responsible for the act.
The Commissioner of Police confirmed that the suspects would be charged in court after investigations are completed. The arrests are part of the ongoing efforts by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command to combat various forms of crime in the region.