Azare warns landlords, creators over child abduction
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has launched an investigation into the alleged abduction of children in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area after a video circulated online showing a woman reportedly entrusting her children to a relatively new co-tenant who allegedly absconded with them.
The command said its investigation was aimed at establishing the circumstances surrounding the incident, locating the children and apprehending anyone found culpable.
*Azare
Etim Ekpimah
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has launched an investigation into the alleged abduction of children in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area after a video circulated online showing a woman reportedly entrusting her children to a relatively new co-tenant who allegedly absconded with them.
The command said its investigation was aimed at establishing the circumstances surrounding the incident, locating the children and apprehending anyone found culpable.
Following the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, Baba Mohammed Azare, directed landlords, property owners and agents across the state to conduct reasonable due diligence on prospective tenants before handing over accommodation to them.
Azare said the measure was necessary to reduce the risk of people with criminal intentions securing accommodation, gaining the confidence of unsuspecting residents and exploiting such relationships to commit crimes, including child abduction and trafficking.
The commissioner urged landlords and property agents to obtain verifiable information from prospective tenants, including valid means of identification, functional telephone numbers, previous residential addresses, next-of-kin details and credible guarantors or referees.
He also advised property owners to maintain proper records of tenants and promptly report suspicious behaviour, unexplained movements or activities that could endanger other residents or members of the public.
The command warned that landlords, property agents or others who knowingly harbour criminals, conceal a suspect’s identity or whereabouts, provide false information to investigators or assist an offender to evade arrest could face investigation and prosecution where sufficient evidence establishes criminal responsibility.
Azare also warned content creators, bloggers and social-media users against publishing sensitive details about child-abduction, trafficking and other serious criminal investigations without first contacting the police.
According to the commissioner, although social media can help raise public awareness, the premature disclosure of information about victims, suspects, locations or ongoing police operations could alert offenders, enable them to relocate victims, destroy evidence, change identities or evade arrest.
DSP Timfon John, Police Public Relations Officer for the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, said the command was urging anyone who encountered a victim or obtained credible information about child abduction, trafficking or related offences to immediately notify the Police before circulating sensitive details online.
John said people whose deliberate actions obstruct investigations, conceal offenders, compromise rescue operations or materially assist suspects to evade justice under the guise of content creation would be investigated and prosecuted where the evidence warrants.
The command also urged parents and guardians to exercise caution when entrusting children to newly acquainted neighbours, domestic workers, casual acquaintances or people whose identities and backgrounds have not been sufficiently verified.
Azare assured residents that the command would continue to deploy all lawful resources at its disposal to combat child abduction and trafficking, rescue victims and bring perpetrators and their collaborators to justice.
He appealed to anyone with useful information about the whereabouts of the missing children or anyone connected with the incident to contact the nearest police station or the Akwa Ibom State Police Command.
The command thanked members of the public for their cooperation and urged them to remain vigilant, avoid spreading unverified information and allow investigators to conduct their work professionally without unnecessary interference.
