The Nation Newspaper

Tag: child-trafficking

  • BREAKING: Abuja police arrest pastor, others for alleged child-trafficking

    BREAKING: Abuja police arrest pastor, others for alleged child-trafficking

    Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command attached to the Rapid Response Squad 74, have apprehended a Pastor, Simon Kado; his relative, Jesse Simon-Kado, and their driver, Muhammad Isah, for alleged child trafficking.

    The suspects were arrested on Friday while repeatedly trafficking 12 underaged children – eight girls and four boys aged between five to 16 years, from Nasarawa State to Ogun State.

    The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, revealed in a statement on Saturday.

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    Adeh said: “Operatives of the FCT Police Command attached to the Rapid Response Squad 74, on Friday, February 9, at about 12:55 am, intercepted one Muhammad Isah, male, of Kafanchan, Kaduna State in a Toyota Hiace bus with Reg No APP 489 XE, conveying twelve; four male and eight female; underaged children to a destination later discovered to be in Ogun state.

    “Preliminary investigation revealed that the children whose ages are between five years to 16 years, all from Akwanga LGA, Nasarawa State were being trafficked to Ogun state by one Pastor Simon Kado, male, and Jesse Simon-Kado, male, who are now presently in police custody.

    “While the investigation is still ongoing and efforts in conduit with Nasarawa State Police Command on how to reunite victims with their respective families, the Commissioner of Police FCT, Benneth Igweh, wishes to reiterate that the safety of residents remains his utmost priority.”

  • Child trafficking: ILO executes £28m project in Nigeria, four other African countries

    The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has begun a 28-million-euro project, sponsored by the Netherlands, to accelerate the fight against child labour in Nigeria and four other African countries.

    This was announced by the Ambassador of Netherlands to Nigeria, Marion Kappeyne van de Coppello, on the side line of a two-day workshop on the project in Abuja on Friday.

    The project, Acceleration of Action in the Elimination of Child Labour in Supply Chains in Africa (ACCEL), was also being carried out in Mali, Malawi, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt and Uganda.

    The ambassador said the project was a long term one which focuses on the causes of child labour.

    “Netherlands is financing this project; it is actually a project that is going to be undertaken in five different countries in Africa; Nigeria is one of them.

    “The total funding for this project from the Netherlands for these five countries is 28 million euros.

    “It is a long-term project and is expected to take at least five years to reach the results that are expected.

    “We think that a child should have the opportunity to go to school, to be a child but we also understand, we had the same situation in Europe two centuries ago, that it is not just child labour.

    “It has to do with the whole of the economy, with the social situation, the economic situation of the parents and so forth,” she said.

    She said that ILO was trusted by the government of Netherlands to facilitate the project in African countries.

    “It is a complicated project; that is why we are happy that the ILO is taking this up, they have a good track record on joining employers, employees and state authorities to work together.

    “I also see here in this workshop, preparing the work for Nigeria that all the stakeholders are present and that is collaborative effort that will bring the most chance of success,” she said.

    Mr. Dennis Zulu, Director, ILO Country Office for Nigeria, said the organisation had been working with the federal government to develop a policy on child labour.

    Zulu explained that the project would focus on the supply chains in cocoa and mining in the country and work with local authorities to facilitate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    Addressing newsmen, ILO Chief Technical Adviser, ACCEL Africa, Mr. Minoru Agasawara, said the project would work with stakeholders according to the priorities identified in the different countries.

    “We are looking at legal framework, policy framework, capacity building, awareness raising, community mobilisation and also working with employers,” he said.

     

  • Christian Council of Nigeria calls for action against child trafficking, rape

    The Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) has called for an end to child trafficking, rape, sexual abuse, neglect, exploitation and all forms of violence against children in Nigeria.

    President of CCN, Rev. Benebo Fubara-Manuel, made the call in Calabar during a press briefing to kick off the sensitisation week on ‘Ending Violence Against Children’.

    Fubara-Manuel, whose speech was read by Rt. Rev. Tunde Adeleye, the Bishop of Calabar Anglican Communion, said that CCN was collaborating with the United Nations Children Emergency Fund to end violence against children.

    According to him, CCN had observed that violence against children was on the increase, adding that one in three children suffers from one form of violence or the other.

    The President said that the inter-tribal wars that have taken place across the country had come with resultant negative physical, sexual, emotional and psychological effects on women and children.

    He called on all religious leaders to join hands with CCN in carrying out the sensitisation through prayers and awareness programmes.

    CCN was founded in 1929 and properly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission. It brings together many denominations in Nigeria, including the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Methodists Church of Nigeria, the First African Church and many others.

  • All -female Air Peace crew foils trafficking of three-day-old baby

     

    An eagle-eyed Air Peace all-female crew on Sunday frustrated an attempt by a middle-aged woman and her collaborators to traffic a three-day-old boy through the Port Harcourt Airport to Lagos.

    The crew consists of Captain Sinmisola Ajibola; Senior First Officer Onohi Agboighale; Mojoko Ewane; Taiye Abbey; Victoria Ukpiaifo and Ngozi Ezeamaka

    The suspect had booked Air Peace Port Harcourt-Lagos Flight P4 7393 on Sunday.

    During boarding, the Lead Crew of the flight, Mojoko Ewane, observed the suspect was handling the baby in an awkward manner and decided to question her.

    When she was questioned at the boarding door of the aircraft, the suspect claimed the baby was three- day- old.

    She, however, later told her interrogators that the baby was born on January 5, a day before her aborted trip.

    The suspect said she gave birth to the baby shortly after travelling from Lagos to Port Harcourt on an Air Peace flight on January 5.

    A call was later placed to the contact numbers the suspect said belonged to her husband and the doctor who handled the birth of the child.

    While the alleged husband claimed that his wife was actually pregnant, the alleged doctor’s number rang unanswered.

    When the suspect was asked to breastfeed the baby, she could not as there was no breast milk.

    The suspect tried to create a scene, rallying other passengers on the flight to prevail on Air Peace crew to allow her fly but the crew stood their ground.

    When the crew informed the suspect the carrier’s standard operating procedure barred them from allowing passengers fly with a week-old baby on grounds of health, she claimed to be a nurse and insisted the baby’s health would not be jeopardised.

    The airline, it was gathered, later invited personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Port Harcourt Airport to take over the case for further investigation.

    Air Peace Corporate Communications Manager, Mr. Chris Iwarah confirmed the incident on Wednesday, saying the airline was proud its crew professionally discharged their responsibility to ensure passengers’ safety and assist government in fighting crime.

    A DSS source in Port Harcourt also confirmed the suspect had been transferred to the zonal office of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State for further handling.

     

    The source claimed the suspect confessed a lady gave her the baby.

    The DSS source commended Air Peace crew for foiling the attempted child trafficking with their vigilance.

    In June 2018, Air Peace crew also exposed a suspected trafficker of a three-month-old baby on its Lagos-Banjul flight.

     

  • Police nab two child traffickers in Akwa Ibom

    The police in Akwa Ibom on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of two suspected child traffickers in Eket local government area of the state.

    The state police spokesman, Odiko MacDon, told journalists the suspects have confessed to the crime.

    He added the child was sold for N300,000 to a buyer.

    “On the 9th of May, the father of the child reported the case to the police at Eket Divisional Police Headquarters. They sold the child to somebody at Uyo, “he said.

    MacDon said efforts were ongoing to retrieve the child from the suspected buyer after which the victims would be handed over to the parents.

    “They sold the girl to somebody at Uyo. Efforts are ongoing to track the person. The person they sold the child is at large.

    “The person will be picked up and the child will be recovered by God’s grace,” he added.

    He said the suspects are in police custody.

     

     

  • Three women arrested for ‘involvement in child trafficking’

    Three women, Ifeoma Ezeanodo, Ifeoma Nwogu and Onyinyechi Chinedu, have reportedly been arrested by the Abia State Police Command in connection with alleged trafficking of twins in Aba.

    Ezeanodo, it was learnt, was arrested with the twins (two boys) and on interrogation, she could not give a satisfactory explanation.

    The Nation gathered that the woman later confessed to have adopted the babies from Nwogu, who was subsequently arrested by the police after monitoring and intelligence report.

    Ezeanodo reportedly told the police that she wanted to adopt baby boys since she had only girls.

    She said: “I wanted to adopt the baby boys to secure my family since I have only girls, but I didn’t know it was illegal people I was dealing with.”

    But Nwogu insisted that she gave the babies to Ezeanodo in order to ensure that they were raised in a good home.

    She said: “I have a motherless babies’ home, which I registered with the Ministry of Women Affairs.

    “A volunteer brought twins to my home and after asking her the source of the babies, she said they were abandoned, adding that the best thing to do was to give them to a home.

    “I gave the babies to a woman who paid me N1.5 million, gave the person who brought the babies to me N500,000 and handed over the babies to the woman.”

    The volunteer, Chinedu, who identified herself as a nurse with St. George Hospital in Aba, said one girl approached her and implored her to give her babies to a woman who could take care of them because she did not have money to take care of them.

    It was learnt that the suspects would be arraigned after investigations.

     

  • 11 arrested for alleged child trafficking

    Eight women and three men have been arrested in Anambra State for alleged child trafficking.

    The suspects, who were nabbed in parts of the state, were arrested on suspicion of child trafficking, abduction and sale of children.

    The Head, Press and Public Relations Unit, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Adekoye Vincent, said the operation was carried out with support of the Directorate of State Services (DSS).

    He said: “NAPTIP has arrested 11 persons for alleged child trafficking, abduction and sale of children. They were arrested in parts of Anambra State in a combined operation carried out with the support of the operatives of Directorate of the State Services (DSS).”

  • Two arrested for ‘child trafficking’

    Two arrested for ‘child trafficking’

    The Anambra State Police Command has arrested two persons – Friday Edet and Ezekiel Ubong – in Onitsha for suspected child trafficking.

    The suspects allegedly specialise in abducting children for alms begging. Edet and Ubong, both from Akwa Ibom State, are members of a humanitarian group. They are at the Onitsha prisons while awaiting trial.

    According to the Divisional Police officer (DPO) in charge of Fegge Division, Rainy Garba, the group specialised in parading children with different ailments, while using them to beg for alms at locations different from their states, after inflicting on them strange ailments that attract public empathy.

    Six men, having hernia, and a three-year-old girl with cancer of the lips, were rescued. They have been reunited with their families.

    The victims, according to Garba, were treated by the division.

    He said: “The girl was kidnapped from Buruku, Benue State, during a wake, when she was a year and six months

    “The suspects’ mode of operation was luring their victims with cash gifts, which led to the arrest of the duo. Their accomplices are still at large.”

    The suspects, according to him, said the victims make about N25,000 daily. Before their arrest about 8am, they had made N12,800 already.

     

  • Kwara Govt. vows to jail child traffickers, pedophiles

    Kwara Govt. vows to jail child traffickers, pedophiles

    The Kwara Government has warned that jail-term awaits people caught in child-trafficking, child or pedophiles in the state.

    Dr Asiata Saka, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, gave the warning on Saturday during the 2018 New Year party organised for orphans from various reception centers in Ilorin.

    She said that the government was currently taking care of some children abused by a pedophile father as well as abandoned triplets.

    She explained that the young girl that was sexually abused by her father went through depression, but currently being rehabilitated by the state government and the father arrested.

    The commissioner said that three other cases of child abuse were currently being handled in various courts.

    “We have about 22 children in the state’s reception centres and 40 abandoned babies with the Life Empowers Anchors Hope (LEAH) Foundation belonging to Mrs Omolewa Ahmed, Kwara Governor’s wife.

    Saka, who represented Mrs Ahmed at the party, also stressed the need for children to be adequately catered for and protected.

    She explained that the ministry had various departments such as the orphanage, juvenile delinquent and child-trafficking departments to take care of children’s affairs in the state. (NAN)

  • Policeman arrested over role in child trafficking

    Policeman arrested over role in child trafficking

    A Police Sergeant identified as Goodluck Mark attached to Abia State Police Command has been arrested over his involvement in a child trafficking activity.

    Mark, who is also a prominent Evangelist of the Church of Christ, Seventh Day Adventist, Osaa-Ukwu in Obingwa Local Government Area of the state, was arrested by the village’s vigilante.

    They handed him over to the police and he was detained at D7 Umuahia, the state capital.

    The officer was also accused of allegedly confiscating the sum N600,000 he reportedly acquired through illegal selling of a yet-to-be recovered child to unknown buyer.

    A source from Osaa-ukwu, who pleaded anonymity expressed shock at “sudden alleged release” of the embattled officer, saying “most of us are surprised. I was shocked. What happened was that some time ago, that was last month, a certain woman from my community connived with one man who owns a maternity home to sell her own baby for N600,000. Unfortunately they were caught by the vigilante of the community.

    “The vigilante decided that they should be handed over to the police as the law demands. One of our brothers whom we know as a police officer was called upon to take the suspects to the station and register the case.

    “The money realised from their dubious sale was dug out from ground where they buried it and handed the over to the officer as evidence. Instead of him to follow the law and take the suspects into custody, the officer in pretence of taking the suspects to police station, on the way, released the two men involved to run and warned them never to return to the community.”

    Contacted, Apostle Jasper Ohuoba of the Church of Christ, Seventh Day Adventist, Osaa-Ukwu, where Mark worships, confirmed his arrest.

    Apostle Ohuoba said: “Actually, I heard about that; I wasn’t there and I can’t attest the authenticity of the story of him been involved in child trafficking. I was at D7 Umuahia and the IPO told me vehemently that he wasn’t arrested for child trafficking, but for illegally diverting money gotten as profit from the sale.

    “But the man involved (Mark) denied it right there at the police station, saying that he knew nothing about the whole story. That’s all I can say and all I know about the case.”

    Abia State Police Command spokesman, Geoffrey Ogbonna, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), confirmed the incident, but stated that the embattled officer was a dismissed Sergeant.

    Ogbonna confirmed the detention of Mark at the custody of D7 in Umuahia.

    He said the case has been transferred to Zone 9 headquarters for further investigation.