Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have successfully rescued a six-month-old baby, Lucky Sunday, who was abducted by a neighbor more than a month ago.
The PUNCH reported that the kidnapping occurred at the child’s home on Anekelane Street in the Mile 2 area of Diobu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The suspect, known only as Mr. Erica, allegedly abducted the infant on September 29, 2024, and escaped to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
After an intensive month-long manhunt, police officers from the Mile 1 Division finally tracked down Mr. Erica in Uyo, arrested him, and transported him back to Port Harcourt.
According to police sources, the suspect confessed during interrogation that he had sold the baby to an unknown woman for N3.6 million. The buyer then reportedly transported the child to Enugu State.
Following this lead, detectives from the Mile 1 Police Division initiated a discreet investigation to locate the buyer. Their efforts culminated in the rescue of Lucky on November 3, 2024.
Police also arrested the woman who had bought the baby, as well as four other individuals believed to be part of a child trafficking network.
This brought the total number of suspects to six, all currently detained at Mile 1 Police Station in Port Harcourt.
The child’s father, Anekan Sunday, confirmed that his son had been found and the suspects apprehended.
He shared, “Yes, I saw my baby yesterday (Sunday). But the police didn’t allow me to take him yet because they said they wanted to go to court. The suspect who took the baby and the others have been arrested. They are six in all, and they are at the Mile 1 Police Division.”
The spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed both the rescue and the arrests, revealing that the case involves an organized child trafficking ring.
Iringe-Koko disclosed that the prime suspect had previously sold his own biological child before abducting his neighbor’s infant.
She explained, “It is a case of a child trafficking syndicate that our men have busted. The man sold his own biological son and also abducted another child, whom he sold for N3.6 million to a lady. But the lady claimed she went to an orphanage to register the child for adoption in Enugu State. The child was adopted here in Port Harcourt and sold to her. The child has been rescued. The suspect and five others have been arrested, and investigations are ongoing.”
A Rights Advocate and National Coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability, Prince Wiro, praised the officers for their work, noting the professionalism they demonstrated in bringing the case to light.
“We sincerely commend the officers attached to the Mile 1 Police Division for the rescue of the child. It shows a high level of professionalism and due diligence. We believe that the officers deserve an award from the police authority in the state. We equally urge the police to arraign any of the arrested suspects found culpable during the investigation in court for justice to be served as a deterrent to others who may want to take the same line of action,” he remarked.
This operation by the Rivers State Police not only brought a family back together but also exposed a broader trafficking operation, highlighting the importance of vigilant law enforcement and community awareness in tackling child trafficking in Nigeria.
