The Bayelsa State Police Command has confirmed the rescue of two children stolen from the state in Abia and Enugu states.
The command said its operatives attached to the Gender Unit, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) busted a child trafficking syndicate and rescued the two children.
It said the children, Success, a four-year-old girl, and two-year-old Prince, were stolen by one Sunday Aniele, 22, and Chioma Obi, 24, on June 19, at Igbogene area of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.
The command said on that fateful day, Chioma Obi who claimed to be a sister of Sunday Aniele, took the children away under the guise of purchasing drugs for them.
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It said unknown to the children’s parents, they were taken out of the state to an unknown destination, adding that diligent investigation by operatives, criss-crossing Delta, Anambra, Enugu, and Abia states, led to the arrest of the suspects at Ughelli, Delta State on July 7.
The command said that one Kingsley Chimobi, 28, and Harriet Chukwu, 36, were subsequently arrested at Onitsha, Anambra State on July 10, adding that further investigation took the police team to Enugu, where Success was recovered on July 21, and Abangwa, Abia State, where Prince was recovered on July 22.
The police said the suspects admitted to collecting N1.8m for the two children-the boy was sold for N1m and the girl sold at N800,000.
The Bayelsa State Police Commissioner, Tolani Alausa, has charged the investigating unit to conclude its probe and charge the suspects to court.
Speaking on the development, the Chair of the Gender Response Initiative Team (GRIT), Dr. Dise Goddy-Harry, said: “This is a success story for the Bayelsa State Government as we have shown again that the safety and security of citizens is our top priority.
“We shall provide psycho-social support for the children having stayed away from their parents for this long. We are also calling on the Commandant, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Bayelsa to conclude their investigation in collaboration with the Bayelsa State Police Command and charge the suspects to court.”