5 Things Africa

January 21, 2021

DO YOU KNOW THIS CHILD?

… FACES OF CHILDREN RESCUED FROM TRAFFICKERS BY ANAMBRA POLICE COMMAND

Audio version here.

The Anambra State Police Command has released pictures of 18 children, rescued from traffickers in 2019, who are yet to be identified by their families.

Below are the facts as shared in a press release received by 5 Things Africa from the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Haruna Mohammed:

1. 3 children were found on 22 October 2019 following an intelligence report that led to the arrest of 3 female suspects at Nkpor Market at Tarzan Junction in Idemili North LGA of the state. The children had been abducted from Gombe State by one Hauwa Usman.

2. During interrogation, Hauwa led the police to her accomplices in Anambra State. She and others would abduct children from different parts of Nigeria and “sell” them to their sponsor and principal suspect, 55-year-old Nkechi Odinye, for 200,000 naira to 400,000 naira per age and gender.

3. Following more confessions by the 3 suspects and acting on a tipoff, further action was taken by police detectives attached to 3-3 Division and operatives attached to the Command's Special Anti-Cult Section (SPACS). They stormed the hideout of the principal suspect and arrested her at Obosi in the same LGA. She had evaded arrest for over 3 years!

4. 16 other children, 10 boys and 6 girls, abducted from different parts of Nigeria were recovered from Nkechi’s operation base.

5. The Police Command has been making all efforts to reunite the children with their families. 2 children from Gombe State were picked up by their parents who travelled to Awka, the capital city of Anambra, to identify them. 4 others were also identified by their parents when some of the children were moved to Gombe. One child from Delta State was also reunited with family. The children were only released after exhaustive investigation and forensic analysis including DNA tests.

If only the story ended happily for all the children. Sadly, 11 unclaimed children – 7 boys and 4 girls - were returned to the Anambra State Command on 18 January 2021 by the Gombe State Police Command, after fruitless announcements.

They have been in the custody of the Anambra State Ministry for Social Welfare, Women and Children's Affairs, waiting for their biological parents.

In total, as at 21 January 2021, the Command had 18 unclaimed children rescued from suspected child traffickers.

This is our chance as a community to obey the call of the Commissioner of Police, CP John B Abang, fdc, to spread the word until every child is safely reunited.

Please download all photos of the children here or on Twitter and share across the media platforms available to you.

If you are in Anambra, you could reach out to Nkwelle Ezunaka at the Area Command Onitsha, 3-3 Divisional Police Station.

Alternatively, contact the PPRO of the Anambra State Command, CP Haruna Mohammed, on 0806 097 0639.

Let’s help the children get back home.

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