Rivers: Police Nab Woman After Selling Sister’s Child For N600,000

The Rivers State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has apprehended a woman for allegedly selling her sister’s child.

Naija News understands that the culprit’s confession was taken when the force paraded 30 suspects arrested for various crimes at the police headquarters in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, June 15, 2022.

A five-year-old child was said to have been missing last month in Omagwa in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state. The mother of the child who gave her name as Peace Emmanuel was said to have reported to the police station in Omagwa that her daughter, 5, was missing.

Operatives from the command acted swiftly on the information and after a long search, it was discovered that it was her sister who arranged to kidnap the child and she eventually sold the child to a lady in Imo State for the sum of N600,000.

Naija News understands that the child had gone missing on May 20, 2022.

Speaking while parading thirty suspects on Wednesday, the state Commissioner of Police, Friday Eboka, said the suspects would be charged to court at the conclusion of investigations.

The CP said, “On May 20 this year, a lady called Peace Emmanuel reported that her five-year-old daughter was missing. The case was reported at the Omagwa Police Station.

“But later, it was transferred to the Commissioner of Police Monitoring Team at the Forces Avenue, Port Harcourt. They went into investigation and eventually, it was discovered that it was her sister who arranged to steal her child and she eventually sold the child to a lady in Imo State for the sum of N600,000.

“So, we went and we were able to rescue the little girl; we also arrested two suspects. The major suspect’s name is Ejike Edith, aged 30; she also mentioned others who did that crime with her. They are Prince Ugwu and Nkiruja Samuel, 26. These suspects were also arrested and are here with us. But the person who received the baby is in Imo State and we are making arrangements to ensure that he is arrested to face the law.”

The command also said it conducted another operation in the state where it busted a kidnappers’ den in a forest in the Kaani community, Khana LGA of the state.

He said the force was able to rescue some victims and as well recovered several AK-47 rifles used by the suspects.

The personnel added: “Similarly, on May 27, the same anti-kidnapping unit also arrested one Messiah Wisdom. The suspect would invite girls to his house, drug them, make love to them, video them and threaten them to bring the sum of N1m or risk the chance of the video going viral.

“This morning (Wednesday), we also got information that some people were looking for AK-47 rifles to buy. We worked on that piece of information, developed it and sent our men to go and pose as those wanting to sell the rifles.

“Eventually, two men came up to buy the rifles. They agreed to buy the rifles for N850,000 per rifle. They wanted to buy four pieces; they came with a boat and had with them the sum of N1.3m, which they wanted to pay as a deposit.

“They promised that when we follow them to the river, they would give us the balance in the river. But these two people were arrested and the money was recovered.

“The third person escaped with their boat. The suspects confessed and said they wanted to buy the rifles to protect their community. I don’t know who gave them permission to bear AK-47 rifles to protect their community,” Eboka added.