The Enugu State Police Command said that it has burst a kidnapping and human trafficking syndicate that abducted and sold a four-year-old girl in Abia for N350,000.
Ebere Amaraizu, the command’s spokesman, said in a statement that the little girl’s kidnap was aided by a family member from Inyi community in Oji River Local Government Area.
According to Amaraizu, the little girl went missing from school without a trace at about 12:45 pm on December 15 and was only recovered by the police one month later.
“The report of the missing girl threw the entire family, especially the mother, into confusion and sorrow.
“In the course of investigation, one Miss Chinedu Chukwu, immediate younger sister to the mother of the victim, and her boyfriend, Osunkwo Chinonso, were nabbed for their involvement in the dastardly act.
“They conspired and came in from Anambra to the school where little Chinecherem was, tricked and whisked away to Umuahia in Abia.
“They sold the child at Ihe Olokoro community of Abia to one Florence Nwokocha at the price of N350,000.
“Police operatives on January 16, nabbed Nwokocha who provided information leading to the recovery of the girl from where she was kept at Faulks Road, Aba, awaiting a buyer,” he said.
Amaraizu said the police had also launched full scale investigation and manhunt for the person who harboured the little girl in Aba.
“All the suspects are assisting the police in their investigations just as little Chinecherem Irechukwu has been reunited with her family,” the police spokesman said.
The mother of the victim, Mrs Irechukwu, expressed gratitude to God and the police for their prompt action which led to the arrest of the suspects and the rescue of her daughter.
“God is at work,” the relieved mother said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria.
She expressed regret that her immediate younger sister was involved in such a woeful act.
