The Police in Enugu State have confirmed the arrest of some suspects in connection with the sale of a-four-year male child, Chinecherem Irechukwu at the price of N350,000.
The suspects included the victim’s aunt and her boyfriend, who connived and tricked the boy away from his school in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State to Abia State where he was sold to a waiting buyer.
Spokesman of the Enugu Police Command, Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the arrest to Orient Daily and identified the key suspects as Chinedu Chukwu and her boyfriend, Osunkwo Chinonso
According to Amaraizu, “it all started on 15th December, 2016 at about 12:45pm at Inyi in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State when it was reported that one Chinecherem Irechukwu, about 4 years old and a primary School pupil of Unity Primary school, Inyi Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State was missing.
“Following the development, the incident was reported to the Enugu State Command of the Nigeria Police Force where it was referred to the Gender/Anti-Human Trafficking section of the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Department of the Enugu State command headed by Udoka Gloria under the watchful eyes of Janeth Agbede, a deputy commissioner of police in charge of the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Department Enugu.
“In the course of the Investigations and following intelligence information gathered, one Chinedu Chukwu, a female who was later discovered to be the immediate younger sister to the mother of the victim Chinecherem was nabbed as she was seriously fingered in the dastardly act based on intelligence information.
“Following the revelation she made, Osunkwo Chinonso male was also nabbed and further revelations had it that the said Osunkwo Chinonso is her boyfriend and that they had on that fateful day conspired and came in from Anambra State and headed to the school where the little Chinecherem Irechukwu tricked and whisked away to Umuahia, Abia State, precisely Ihe Olokoro where he was sold to one Florence Nwokocha at the rate of 350,000.”
He added that “the operatives already armed with intelligence information promptly nabbed the said Florence Nwokocha who also assisted the operatives to recover the abducted/sold Chinecherem Irechukwu on 16/1/17 from a place where she was kept at Faulks Road Aba in Abia State, awaiting a would be buyer with a fabulous amount of money to make huge profit.
“Meanwhile, a full scale investigation is in place as manhunt on the said keeper/harbourer suspect in Aba, Abia State has intensified.
“All the suspects are assisting the police operatives in their investigations, just as little Chinecherem Irechukwu has rejoined her family.”
Reacting to the incident the mother of the victim, Irechuwu, who thanked God and the Nigeria Police Force Enugu State Command, lamented that she never in life believed that her sister could do such a thing to her.