…. arrests child trafficers, armed robbers and kidnapping syndicates

From Emmanuel Uzor, Abakaliki

In apparent reaction to the wide condemnation that trailed the torture and indecent assault on a minor, 14 year old Uzoamaka Chukwu by some men in Ebonyi state, the Ebonyi State Police Command yesterday paraded six suspects including a serving Coordinator of Ohazara Development Centre, Mr. Odii Ogbonnaya, his younger brother and three serving policemen.

Parading the suspects at the police headquarters, Abakaliki, the Commissioner of Police, Peace Ibekwe Abdallah said the arrest of the suspects arose from information made available to the police that they allegedly tortured and indecently assaulted Uzoamaka by stripping her naked before flogging her in Uburu community, Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi state.

The Police Commissioner further disclosed that three policemen serving in the command were also indicted in the incident and said the affected police officers had been arrested and are currently undergoing police disciplinary procedures to enable their prosecution.

She confirmed that the victim, Uzoamaka had been reached and had also given her statement on how she was stripped, flogged and had her painful torture recorded in video camera which was later went viral on the internet after it had been uploaded.

“The victim has just been able to make her painful statement and the case is being deliberately investigated to ensure that justice will be done in this scandalous incident”

Also paraded were notorious child traffickers, armed robbers and kidnapping syndicates

Mrs. Ibekwe said the notorious syndicate who specialized in child stealing and trafficking came to Uburu in a Toyota Camry car with Reg No BEN-173AU to unleash their nefarious act on the people and they were arrested through the combined efforts of the citizens and the police.

She told journalists that one Ester Agbowo from Nkalagu in Ishielu council area of the state reported that she was lured with her two children to Delta state by one Ekene who claimed to be a pastor in the guise of marriage after introduction rites to her people. After they had taken her to Asaba, the woman was abandoned while her two children were taken away by the suspects to an unknown place which led to arrest of 9 suspects.

The police boss said the command made a breakthrough on the 4th of August, 2016 when it rescued two female passengers earlier abducted by an armed robbery and kidnap gang that attacked a commercial bus along Ebuwanna in Afikpo South local government area of the state and disposed passengers of their belongings before abducting the two female passengers