Police Rescue 9 Trafficked Children, Arrest 2 Suspects In Niger

Operatives of Niger state Police Command have rescued 9 children trafficked in two separate incidents and arrested two suspects in connection with the crimes.

LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that Police operatives attached to Madalla Division while on patrol along Madalla-Suleja Road intercepted and arrested one Dauda Ayuba of Senchi village in Kaffin-Koro area of Paikoro LGA conveying six female children between the ages of 7 and 13 years suspected to be victims of trafficking in a vehicle.

Confirming this, the Niger State Command’s  Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) SP Wasiu Abiodun, said “During interrogation, Dauda confessed that he traveled from Benin, Edo State to Niger State, having agreed with a woman known as IYEE and two others of Ogbu market, presently at large, who deal in child trafficking, to source for six female children for them.”

Abiodun said the suspect added that, “He received the sum of N194,000 for transport and other logistics to get the girls to Benin who on arrival are to be distributed as housemaids, sales girls and other child labour activities for money. He further stated that he selected the children from Senchi village, deceiving their parents that he was going to enroll them in schools.”

According to the PPRO, the suspect revealed that he agreed to be paid a sum N30,000 monthly for each of the victims, of which N20,000 would serve as their monthly salary, while he will receive N10,000 commission.

Similarly, he said based on information received, Police operatives attached to Kpakungu Division Minna arrested 37-year-old Mary Anthony of Gbeganu area with three female children suspected to be victims of trafficking.

The PPRO said, “She was arrested at Gurara area of Minna with the children who are between the ages of 8 and 10 years. During interrogation, she claimed that the girls were given to her by their parents in Gbachiko village, Kagarko area of Kaduna State because she had earlier trained one of the victims’ sister.

“In the course of investigation, it was revealed she told the parents that she was taking the girls to an orphanage home in Suleja, but surprisingly she was found with the victims in Gurara area of Minna. She is also in SCID for further investigation, while the three children were rescued and parents contacted.”