Police Rescue 4 Trafficked Children, Arrest Suspected Killers Of DPO

Operatives of the Rivers State Police command have rescued four children who were abducted and sold by suspected child traffickers.

This is as the command arrested three suspected child traffickers, who were linked to the kidnap of the four children.

Parading the suspects before journalists at the police headquarters in Port Harcourt, the commissioner of Police, Nwonyi Polycarp, said operatives of the command also arrested suspected cultists as well as a murderer.

Nwonyi said: “Following a case of abduction reported on 09/09/2023 at about 1650hrs by One Ijeoma James ‘f’, 35 years old, in Awalama Rumuokoro, Port Harcourt, on 16/08/2023 one Promise ‘m’ came into their compound and stole her 4-year-old son Prosper James, and all efforts to locate her child proved abortive.

“Police detective’s Special Area division undercover swung into action using intelligence-led policing, one Ifesinachi Opara ‘m’ was arrested, which also led to the arrest of one Happiness, Enyinnaya Iheukwumere, A.K.A. Dr. Hagi, to whom he sold the child.

“Further investigation also led to the recovery of three more children trafficked by Dr Hagi from different locations of the country: three from Benue State, Benedict Kpaaka one year, seven-month-old, Godgift Julius 4 years old, and one Philomina ‘f’ 6 years old, all rescued from different locations in Port Harcourt where they had been sold.

“Further investigation revealed that one Angel Shimeson ‘f’, 25 years old, from Makurdi still (at large), is the supplier of the children to Dr. Hagi. Effort is being intensified to arrest the culprit.

“On 25/10/2023, a combined surveillance team comprised of police, civil defence, the Nigerian Army, and some civilian JTF was on routine surveillance patrol at Abili Service Integrated Company attached to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, Ob/Ob Gas Plant Obrikom Onelga Ukpeliede Community in Ahoada-West LGA in Rivers State.

“Five suspected Icelanders confraternities are presumed to have a hand in the death of the late DPO of Ahoada, SP. Bako Angbashim. They were brought to Area Command Omoku with the following items: two locally made guns, three live cartridges, and one wrist charm.

“One of the suspects, named Ebere Uzorma, aged 35 years, who sustained injuries in his last operation at Kumacy Camp in Ahoada West, was rushed to the General Hospital Omoku for treatment, where he was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.”

Nwonyi said the corpse was deposited at the same hospital mortuary in Omoku for autopsy, while the five arrested suspects: Bestman Friday Agbani, Samuel Uchendu, and Abraham Ede, are in police custody for detailed investigation.