The Rivers State Police Command has dismantled a child trafficking operation, rescuing 16 children and apprehending a female suspect involved in the illicit activity.
The Command’s spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the development during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Port Harcourt. Iringe-Koko, disclosed that the children were discovered in an estate located in the Ozuoba community, Obio/Akpor local government area of the state.
“The 16 children were rescued by our police operatives in Ozuoba following a tip-off and conducting intelligence gathering in the area.
“One individual has been arrested, and an investigation is underway to identify other accomplices,’’ Iringe-Koko stated.
The Commissioner of Police Monitoring Unit has taken over the case for further investigation.
Local residents had raised concerns about the suspect, who frequently brought home different children. An eyewitness, Faith, explained that on Sunday, community members confronted the woman when she could not provide a valid reason for having so many children, prompting them to alert the authorities.
Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the suspect had been residing in the compound with a large number of children for over two years.
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This is coming weeks after Rivers State Police Command said its men had arrested the commander of a local vigilante group identified as Felix Nwaobakata with two human skulls at his hideout at Omoku.
Also, the police said its operatives, in a clampdown on the excesses of vigilante groups operating in the state, arrested seven other members of the local security outfit for sundry crimes, including murder.
Spokesperson for the Command said Nwaobakata, who is the commander of the ONELGA Security and Peace Advisory Committee codenamed OSPAC was a principal suspect in the murder of two brothers in Idu in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni LGA of the state on May 1, 2024, on the allegations that they were kidnappers.
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