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From Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki
Ebonyi state Police command has rescued 32 victims of child trafficking in Abakaliki Ebonyi state.
Spokesperson of the command, DSP Loveth Odah, who disclosed this to newsmen in Abakaliki, added that two of the principal suspects had also been arrested by the command.
According to Odah, most of the victims were children from Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, Akwa-Ibom, Imo and Cross River states.
Odah gave the name of the two suspects as Nwagboduhu Ekene and Nwaoko Godwin.
She stated that investigation carried out by the command revealed that the children were trafficked were being used for forced labour and sexual exploitation hiding under networking business.
She said “on the 7th January,2022 at about 930 hrs,a case of a missing person was reported by Mrs.Nwankwo Ijeoma of Uterufie village in Ebonyi local government area of Ebonyi state that her daughter Nwankwo Chidera, aged 14 years left home to unknown destination.
During the investigation,a company’s advertisement sheet captured “NEO Life” containing a phone number was found in the daughters room which was used to trace the owner of the phone number who was later identified as Christian Nwankwo and was arrested.
“The suspects rented two rooms apartment at Diamond Villa Lodge adjacent to Ebonyi state University Medical Department Pressco Campus which serves as a accommodation for the victims.
“Meanwhile, some of the rescued victims; Gloria Mbam , Emmanuel Elechi, Odeh and Chibuike Uzogo had earlier been reported missing by their parents.
“At the moment, the Command has a total number of 18 unclaimed children rescued from the suspected traffickers.
“To this end, the Commissioner of police in Ebonyi state, CP Aliyu Garba has requested parents and members of the public whose children are missing to report at the command headquarters for identification and possible claim of their wards”
