Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have rescued a six-month-old child, Lucky Sunday, who was kidnapped over a month ago by a co-tenant of the child’s parents at their residence on Anekelane Street in the Mile 2 axis of Diobu in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Recall that the suspect, simply identified as Mr Erica, abducted the infant on Sunday, 29 September 2024, and reportedly fled with the child to Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State.
The Rivers State Police Command has been on his trail ever since, spreading their dragnet to ensure his arrest and prosecution.
The manhunt for the fleeing suspect finally paid off when detectives attached to the Mile 1 Police Division trailed him to Uyo, leading to his arrest and transportation back to Port Harcourt.
It was gathered that during interrogation, the prime suspect revealed to the police that he sold the baby for N3.6 million to an unidentified female buyer who took the child to Enugu State.
Following a discreet investigation, detectives attached to the Mile 1 Police Division rescued the child on Sunday, 3 November 2024, and arrested the buyer and four other accomplices, bringing the total number of suspects to six, all of whom are currently detained at the Mile 1 Police Station in Port Harcourt.
The father of the child, Anekan Sunday, confirmed the rescue of his baby and the arrest of the six suspects, stating, “Yes, I saw my baby yesterday (Sunday). But the police didn’t allow me to take him yet because they said they wanted to go to court.
“The suspect who took the baby and the others have been arrested. They
are six in all, and they are at the Mile 1 Police Division.”
When contacted, the spokesperson for the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the rescue of the child and the arrest of the suspects, stating that it is a child trafficking syndicate.
Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, also revealed that the prime suspect had previously sold his own biological child before abducting that of his neighbour.
She stated, “It is a case of a child trafficking syndicate that our men have busted.
“The man sold his own biological son and also abducted another child, whom he sold for N3.6 million to a lady.
“But the lady claimed she went to an orphanage to register the child for adoption in Enugu State. The child was adopted here in Port Harcourt and sold to her.
“The child has been rescued. The suspect and five others have been arrested, and investigations are ongoing.”
Meanwhile, a rights advocate and National Coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability, Prince Wiro, has commended the police for their due diligence in rescuing the child and arresting the six suspects.
Wiro stated, “We sincerely commend the officers attached to the Mile 1 Police Division for the rescue of the child. It shows a high level of professionalism and due diligence.
“We believe that the officers deserve an award from the police authority in the state. We equally urge the police to arraign any of the arrested suspects found culpable during the investigation in court for justice to be served as a deterrent to others who may want to take the same line of action.”
