Syndicate kills woman, sells off kids

The police in Akwa Ibom State have arrested four members of a child trafficking syndicate for killing a woman and selling off her children.

The suspects were said to have abducted one Queen Ime and her two children from her house in Ibesikpo, Asutan LGA, killed the woman and sold of the children to one Marius Obi in Abia State.

Speaking on the arrest on Monday in Uyo, the Commissioner of Police, Olatoye Durosinmi, said members of the syndicate were among 91 suspects arrested within the last two months for offences ranging from kidnapping, robbery to murder.

He said, “On 28th August, 2022, at about 1500hrs, one Happiness Ndueso ‘f’ and Blessing Joseph, a.k.a Adiaha Akpan ‘f’, both of Ifa Ikot Idang village in Uruan LGA, were arrested by operatives of the anti-kidnapping squad of the command.

“During investigation, the suspects confessed that one Felix Edem, a.k.a Black Bishop ‘m’, and one Joe Fineboy ‘m’, both of Idu Uruan, abducted one Queen Ime of Ifiayong Usuk village in Uruan LGA with her children, aged three and one and half from her house into their tricycle on Ikot Akpa Etok Road in Ibesikpo Asutan LGA. They murdered her, abandoned her corpse and absconded with the two male children and sold them to one Marius Obi ‘m’ of Abia State.

“On 30th August, 2022, at about 0700hrs, Felix took operatives of the anti-kidnapping squad to Aba in Abia State where the said Marius Obi was lured and arrested. During interrogation, he confessed to have re-sold the two children to his syndicate’s member known as Nwanyiocha.

“Furthermore, as at when Felix Edem was arrested at Nna Enin village in Uruan LGA, a locally made single-barrel pistol without ammunition was recovered from him, which he confessed to be using for the dastardly acts.”