Imo Police clamp down on child trafficking syndicate, rescue three children in Imo

The Imo Police Command has apprehended a notorious kidnapper and child trafficking syndicate identified as Kingsley Ehiedu and rescued three children in Imo.

A statement issued in Owerri, on Monday, by the Commissioner of Police, Imo State, through his Media Adviser CSP Mike Abatam, stated that the arrest was in consonance with the mandate given to the operatives of the Command by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Alkali Baba Usman, to fish out all criminal elements in the state and restore normalcy to the state.

The CP also said that the arrest of the syndicate was in tandem with his determination and directive to execute this mandate holistically in Imo State.

The CP said that “on 19th May 2021, one Mr Ossai Johnson ‘M’ of Ngwo by Phinomar Road in Enugu State reported a case of missing children at the police Anti kidnapping Unit, Enugu that his neighbour, one Kingsley Ehiedu of Ngwo Step, Enugu left with his two children namely Ebuka Ossai and Oluomachi Ossai of the same address to Shoprite Enugu to buy them meat pie and ice cream.”

He said that when it became dark and he didn’t see them she decided to report the matter.

According to the Commissioner, after preliminary investigation, it was discovered that Kingsley Ehiedu had run away with the two children to Awomama in Oru East LGA of Imo State.

He said that the Imo State Command, when contacted, swung into action and in the process, the suspect was arrested and his house searched.

Items recovered from him according to CP included a bag containing the sum of two hundred thousand naira, one Airtel Sim card, a nose mask three different bunches of keys and six GSM phones.

The suspect when interrogated, confessed to having taken the stolen children to one Dr Innocent Onwudike of Unity Hospital Awomama in Oru East LGA of lmo State.

The CP said that the information made the security team storm the hospital, where it was discovered that the doctor had taken the two children to his sister’s residence in Owerri where they were kept for two weeks with a bargain to pay one million naira for them.

The suspect according to the CP, took the police team to his sister residence in Owerri, one Mrs Ada Precilia Oluaha ‘F’ of No. 27 Ngokpala Street Owerri, Imo State to rescue the two children where they were hidden.

CP Baba said that on getting there the two children were recovered, including one Ugonma Okerie Ruth, a little girl of four years, adding that investigation was still in progress to arrest the other members of the syndicate.

The Commissioner commended the efforts of his men and urged them to sustain the tempo.

He also warned all criminals who indulge in kidnapping or trafficking of children to leave the state, insisting that the Command has put in a robust strategy that will lead to their arrest.

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Imo Police clamp down on child trafficking syndicate, rescue three children in Imo

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