The Commissioner of Police in Nasarawa State, CP Shehu Umar Nadada, has paraded 12 suspects arrested for child trafficking and other criminal activities in the state.
The suspects, linked to the sale of 45 children, were paraded on Friday in Lafia.
A total of 57 suspects were arrested by the state Police Command from January 1 to date, according to Nadada, who spoke during a press briefing at the state Police Command Headquarters in Lafia.
The suspects include three suspected kidnappers, three armed robbery suspects, and twenty suspected fraudsters, along with others arrested for rape and motorcycle/vehicle theft.
One of the cases involved the abduction of a five-year-old boy in Keffi, where Ismaila Adamu was arrested for his involvement in a syndicate specializing in child theft.
This led to the arrest of several other suspects involved in the theft and sale of children.
Nadada stated that analysis conducted on the suspects’ phones revealed that 45 children had been stolen and illegally adopted by unsuspecting members of the public across the country.
He said the suspects confessed to theft and selling the children at different prices, ranging from N350,000 to N1,500,000, depending on their age and gender.
They also revealed that they conspired with Social Welfare officers of some ministries to produce fake documents and sell the children to willing buyers.
The Police Commissioner stated that six children have been rescued in Abuja, Ondo, and Lagos states, respectively, and efforts are ongoing to arrest more suspects involved in the crime and recover more of the stolen children.
“The suspects have confessed to the theft and selling of so many children at different prices ranging from N350,000 to N1,500,000, depending on their age and gender.
“The suspects further stated that they steal and sell the Children by conspiring with Social Welfare officers of some ministries; where they produce fake documents and sell the Children to willing buyers.
“So far, Six (6) children have been rescued in Abuja, Ondo and Lagos State respectively. Effort is ongoing to arrest more suspects involved in the commission of the crime and recover more of the stolen Children,” Nadada said.
Various items were recovered from the suspects, including fake foreign currency, firearms and ammunition, 10 motorcycles, and 2 vehicles, among others, as exhibits.
