The Police in Anambra have rescued a 10-year-old girl, suspected to have been kidnapped from Akwa Ibom state and sold in Anambra state for a sum of N800,000.
The police said the victim, whose original name was Favour Asuquo, was renamed Faith Ezeukwu allegedly by her “new parents” (the suspects).
Police spokesman in the state, SP Haruna Mohammed, confirmed the incident to our correspondent in Akwa, on Sunday.
According to SP Mohammed, “a girl-child of about 10 years old reasonably suspected to have been stolen from Akwa Ibom state since 2018 and sold to a couple in Anambra state at the rate of N800,000 was rescued by Police detectives attached to 33 Division, Onitsha following intelligence report on February 21, 2020.”
He said preliminary investigation shows that the suspects, who claimed to be her ‘parents,’ renamed the child to hide her real identity.
He noted that the suspects are currently in Police custody, alongside the girl, adding that the “seller” is presently on the run.
“In view of the foregoing, you are kindly requested to disseminate this message through your medium to enable the biological parents or close relatives of the victim who can identify her come forward.
“Anyone with useful information about the rescued child should report to the 33 Police Station, Onitsha or contact PPRO Anambra state Police Command headquarters, Awka through GSM number: 08060970639,” he said.
Daily Trust reports that the Police in Kano state had on October 11, 2019 rescued and reunited nine kids with their respective families. The kids were allegedly kidnapped and sold off to Anambra state for trafficking.
Aged between 2 to 10 years old, the children were said to have been kidnapped from various locations within the Kano state capital at different times.
The state Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, who handed the kids to their respective families said some of them had gone missing since 2014, but were traced down to Anambra state where they had been sold off.
Eight suspects had been arrested in connection with the alleged kidnapping and trafficking of the children.
It would also be recalled that Police detectives in Lagos state had in March last year rescued two children who were abducted five years earlier.
The children, who were then 12 and 11 years old respectively, were stolen in 2014 but were found in the Fadeyi area of Lagos.
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