Imo Police Rescue 4-Year-Old Vegetable Hawker From Trafficking Suspects

The Imo State Police Command has arrested two suspects linked to the abduction of a four-year-old boy and an alleged attempt to sell him for N2.7m.

Police spokesperson Henry Okoye disclosed this in a statement issued Thursday, explaining that the child, identified as Jaffa Umar, was reportedly abducted while hawking vegetables in Abuja.

The suspects, identified as Joy Ugwu from Idah, Kogi State, and Rosella Michael from the Zuba area of Abuja, brought the Umar to Owerri, Imo State, in a bid to sell him before they were apprehended.

“Investigations revealed that the boy, Jaffa Umar, who speaks Hausa fluently, was abducted in Abuja while hawking vegetables,” the statement reads.

“The suspects brought him to Owerri and were negotiating to sell him for ₦2.7 million before their arrest. A third accomplice, believed to be a nurse, is currently at large.”

Okoye confirmed that the boy has since been reunited with his family, following coordinated efforts between the Imo State Police Command and the Zone 7 Police Headquarters in Abuja.

The two arrested suspects have been transferred to the Zonal Criminal Investigation Department (ZCID), Abuja for further investigation and prosecution.

“The child has been safely reunited with his family through coordinated efforts between the Imo State Police Command and Zone 7 Police Headquarters, Abuja while the suspects have been transferred to the Zonal Criminal Investigation Department (ZCID), Abuja for further investigation and prosecution,” Okoye said.

The third suspect, alleged to be a nurse involved in the trafficking attempt, remains at large.

Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, assured the public of the command’s determination to dismantle trafficking networks and protect vulnerable persons in the state.

“The commissioner of police, CP Aboki Danjuma, reassures the public of the command’s commitment to protecting vulnerable persons and dismantling trafficking networks.

“He encourages residents to report suspicious activity to the nearest police station or via the emergency line 0803 477 3600.”

The police noted that investigations are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspect and to uncover any broader network linked to the crime.

Imo Police Rescue 4-Year-Old Vegetable Hawker From Trafficking Suspects is first published on The Whistler Newspaper