The police in Delta state, on Tuesday, rescued a three-year-old child and united the child with his parents in Asaba, the state capital. It also arrested a cripple and other members of a notorious children abduction syndicate.
The command Public Relations Officer (PRO), DSP Bright Edafe who revealed this in a Wednesday statement said the police swung into action, following a report at one of its divisions, by the victim’s mother.
The command spokesperson said the victim’s mother, one Aisha Yusuf of Abraka Community, Asaba had reported to the station on Tuesday at about 8:30am with a complain that her 3-year-old son named Abubakar Atiku has been abducted by one Mohammed Isah.
The command PRO revealed that the State Commissioner of Police, CP Wale Abass immediately instructed CSP Apu Torukeregha, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), C Division, Asaba, to ensure the safe return of the abducted child and apprehend the perpetrators of the crime immediately.
The DPO and some men of the Anti-crime patrol team swung into action and apprehended the prime offender, one 35-year-old Mohammed Isah, at Abraka market in Oshimili-South Local Government Area of the state.
During questioning, Isah admitted to belong to the gang which specialises in child abduction and assisted the police with useful informations that was used as guide to apprehend three other members of the gang identified as 23-year-old Ibrahim Sani, 52-year-old Kabiru Ibrahim and a 32-year-old cripple, Abubakar Mohammed.
The suspects who all admitted to have played roles in the crime, also gave useful statements that was used as guide by the police to apprehend one 38-year-old Suleiman Mohammed, in neighbouring Anambra state.
The last suspect, who was apprehended in his hide out in a hotel in Onitsha, was in custody of the abducted child.
The suspects confessed that they abduct children and sell them for varying sums of money, while the suspect apprehend with the child confessed he was waiting in the hotel for the prospective buyer of the child, who had accepted to buy the child at the sum of N800,000.
The rescued child was immediately reunited with his worried mother while the suspects were taking into custody and are currently undergoing further investigation.
Reacting to the incident, CP Abass made an appeal to residents in the state, to aid the police in the fight against crime by providing useful, timely, and credible informations.
The CP gave the members if the public his assurance that their identities and informations will be handled with the greatest discretion.