Anambra: Police arrest seven kidnap suspects

The police command in Anambra State has arrested seven suspects for allegedly stealing a three -year-old boy.

A statement on Sunday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in Awka, said the command has rescued a three-year-old boy, earlier reported missing in the state and arrested six persons for child theft.

He alleged that the suspects were members of child trafficking syndicate operating in Anambra, Enugu and Lagos states.

Ikenga said that on September 4, following a petition from the family of the victim, operatives attached to the Gender Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Awka, commenced an investigation into the case.

He said the petition detailed how the complainant’s daughter had left her three-year-old son in the care of a neighbour in Umusiome, Nkpor Uno in Idemili North Local Government of the state.

The police spokesman said that on her return, both the child and her neighbour were missing.

According to him, a swift investigation by the operatives led to the arrest of the neighbour.

He said the confessional statement of her neighbour subsequently led to the arrest of the neigbour’s mother and two of his younger brothers.

Ikenga explained that the operatives extended their investigation to Enugu, where two other persons were arrested for facilitating the movement of the stolen child to Lagos.

According to Ikenga, the operatives proceeded to Lagos State , where one suspect was arrested and the stolen child was successfully rescued.

He said the child had since been reunited with his family in good health.

“All the suspects are currently in custody and will be charged to court upon completion of investigations,” he said.

The police spokesman quoted the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ikioye Orutugu, as reiterating the command’s unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property.

Orutugu warned criminal elements to keep off the state, as the police would do everything possible to bring them to book.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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