Police arrest three for trying to sell 4 years old boy in Abia

The Abia State Police Command has arrested a child trafficking syndicate while trying to sell a 4-year-old boy.

It was learnt that the three suspects tried to sell one Master Okechukwu Okoroafor, a 4-year-old native of Ikwuakpu Ututu in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State.

The suspects Onyekachi Ugwunwoke, ‘m’, 43; Chinasa Onyekachukwu, ‘f’, 40, and Chidinma Asomugha, ‘f’, 48, were apprehended at the bargaining point on how to sell the 4-year-old child near Abia Line Transport Park in Umuahia.

The victim, who was kidnapped on Monday, September 27, 2021, around 7.05 pm, lives with her grandmother, Mrs Enyidiya Okoroafor while his parents live in Abuja.

Speaking with journalists on Friday at the command’s headquarters in Umuahia, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Janet Agbede, explained that trouble started when the victim’s grandmother sent him to buy pepper from a shop about 200ft away from their residence on the said date.

According to the CP, while on that errand, Onyekachi Ugwunwoke and Chinasa Onyekachukwu, who are also neighbours to the family, whisked little master Okechukwu Okoroafor away without the consent of his grandmother.

He added that Onyekachukwu Ugwunwoke and Chinasa Onyekachukwu moved the child from Arochukwu to the Railway line near Tipper/Abia Line Transport Park Umuahia.

“It was at this point they were nabbed while negotiating with Chidinma Asomugha to sell little Master Okechukwu Okoroafor for the sum of Five hundred thousand Naira (N500,000),” Agbede said.

He noted that they were arrested on 30 September 2021 by the police Crack Squad at around 11.30 am, followed credible information.

She, therefore, advised parents and guardians to closely monitor their children and wards.

Agbede also called on the public to give information on suspicious movement of persons in their areas.