Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Police Force said it has successfully reunited fifteen trafficked children with their parents.
The children who are between the ages of 2-13 years were said to have been deceptively taken from their parents in Lapai-Niger State by one Emmanuel Abraham and Nkechi Udoh.
A spokesman for the FCT command of the force, Yusuf Mariam, who made this known, said the children were taken from their parents under the pretext that they were going to send them to school.
But rather than sending them to school, the children were distributed to different people to work as house helps.
Yusuf, in a statement made available to Daily Sun reads; “The FCT Police Command on Monday 8th March, 2021 successfully reunites *fifteen (15) children* who were victims of trafficking with their parents.
‘In February 2020, the children between the ages of 2-13 years were deceptively taken from their parents in Lapai-Niger State by one Emmanuel Abraham 30years and Nkechi Udoh 53years under the pretext of providing them education. Further investigation revealed that the suspects ‘distributed’ the children to different people. The suspects were arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigation.
“In view of the above, the Command is appealing to parents to be extremely conscious of the safety and movement of their children at all times.
‘Also, the Command wishes to use this medium to dissociate itself from the misleading information being circulated by fraudulent elements that ‘it is conducting an auction of cars.’ There is no on-going auction exercise in the FCT Command, therefore, members of the public should note that it is one of the antics by fraudsters to defraud unsuspecting citizens.
‘We enjoin residents to remain calm, law-abiding, comply with all COVID-19 regulations and reiterate our unwavering commitment to the protection of lives and property within the FCT.
‘The Command employs residents to report all suspicious movements, emergency or distress, through these numbers: 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653 and 08028940883. To report the conduct of Police Officers, call the Public Complaint Bureau (PCB) Line: 09022222352.’