We make 25,000 naira daily from begging ―Suspected child kidnappers

TWO persons have been arrested by the police in Anambra state for allegedly abducting children for arms begging in Onitsha, the commercial city of Anambra state.

The suspects, Friday Edet and Ezekiel Ubong, both from Akwa Ibom state, said to be members of a humanitarian group are currently awaiting trial at the Onitsha prisons.

The group which specialises in parading children with different kinds of ailments and using them for alms begging were arrested by the Fegge Division of the Nigerian Police.

According to the Divisional Police Officer, Mr. Rabiu Garba, the suspects were notorious for using abducted children for alms begging in another location different from their states after inflicting on them strange ailment that attract public empathy.

ALSO READ: Police rescue 2 South-Africans from kidnappers in Kaduna

He said six male children with a hernia as well as a 3-year old baby girl with cancer of the lips, kidnapped by the suspects had since been rescued and reunited with their families after being treated of their ailments by the division.

“The little girl was kidnapped at the age of one and half years from Buruku in Benue State, during wake keep ahead of a burial ceremony,” he noted.

Garba who said he had to monitor the suspects closely for a long period of time, following his suspicion of their actions with the children, lured them with some cash gifts which led to the arrest of the duo, while their accomplices are still at large.

While cautioning the citizenry to be wary of who they render assistance to, the DPO disclosed that the suspects admitted they make up to N25, 000 daily through the children.

“In fact, they confessed that they realized a total sum of N12, 800 as early as 8 am on the day of their arrest,” Garba said.