Tony Osauzo, Benin
Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have recovered in Enugu State, Christabel Omokpia, who was sold for N850,000 by an orphanage in Rivers State.
Christabel was two years old when she and her elder sister, Amanda, were stolen from Utesi village in Ovia North East Local Government Area by two female tenants of their father in June last year.
Their mother, Faith, left them in the care of the tenants, Mary and Rose, who disappeared with the children to unknown destination.
Christabel was first sold for N450,000 by the tenants and she was later resold for N500,000 to Ogechi Favour and resold again for N850,000 to Anioke Augustine in Enugu State.
A relative of Christabel, Beauty, told journalists that the family was happy to get her back, adding that Christabel could not recognise her parents again.
Christabel was said to have been reunited with her family on Wednesday night, according to a police source, who disclosed that Anioke adopted Christabel without due process.
Confirming the rescue of Christabel, spokesman for Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, said it was the police commissioner, Danmallam Abubakar, who ordered for the rescue of the two sisters.
He explained that the search for Christabel took police operatives from Benin to Delta, Anambra, Rivers, Imo and Enugu states, disclosing that four suspects earlier arrested in connection with the missing children were already in prisons in Ondo and Edo states.
On the whereabouts of Amanda, Nwabuzor said the police would do its best to recover her. But, according to sources, the woman who bought Amanda and took her to Ogwashi-Ukwu in Delta State has reportedly died.