Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have busted a syndicate specialising in buying and selling of children to unknown buyers in parts of the country.
The commissioner of police, CP Baba Azare, disclosed this when he received the new zonal commander of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP), Mr Ubong Ekwere, in his office at Ikot Akpanabia state headquarters.
He revealed that no fewer than nine suspects, all females were arrested in raids of various locations in the state following intelligence reports and promised to collaborate with NAPTIP in fighting the scourge in the state.
CP Azare, who frowned at the nefarious act of trading children off for cash, said the command would intensify surveillance operations working with other sister security agencies including NAPTIP, Uyo Zonal Command.
Responding, the new zonal commander for Uyo, Ekwere, called for collaboration and synergy with various stakeholders including the state government to tackle human trafficking cases across the 31 local government areas of the state.
Addressing journalists after receiving the nine suspects at the weekend, the zonal commander lauded the existing collaboration between the agency and the Police in the state.
He noted that the courtesy visit to CP Azare has started yielding dividends as the commissioner has ordered that all human trafficking cases would henceforth be transferred to NAPTIP for further investigations.
“I just paid a courtesy call on the commissioner of police today, and I thank the Police for the role they played in countering human trafficking in the state and Nigeria in general.
“The commissioner said he was looking for an opportunity like this, and that human trafficking cases would be transferred to NAPTIP henceforth. He also pledged to assist the agency in terms of sharing of intelligence, joint operations, rapid response and arrests; it was a welcome development.”
According to him, the nine suspects received by the command had been involved in the illegitimate business of buying and selling of persons, which is a crime against the state, emphasising that all hands must be on deck to fight the crime.
He also called on the state government to join hands with the agency in its fight against human trafficking, adding that “most of the children involved are Akwa Ibom children who are also vulnerable,” assuring that the suspects would soon undergo investigation preparatory to being charged to court.
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