A six-month-old infant, Lucky Sunday, who was abducted over a month ago by a co-tenant from the family’s residence on Anekelane Street, Mile 2, Diobu, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has been successfully rescued by the Rivers State Police Command.
The child was reportedly taken on September 29, 2024, by a suspect identified as Mr. Erica, who fled to Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State. After an extensive search, officers from the Mile 1 Police Division apprehended the suspect in Uyo and transported him back to Port Harcourt.
During questioning, the prime suspect confessed to selling the baby for 3.6 million naira to an unnamed female buyer in Enugu State. Following further investigations, the police were able to rescue the child and arrested the buyer along with four other accomplices, bringing the total number of detained suspects to six. All suspects are currently held at the Mile 1 Police Division in Port Harcourt.
Anekan Sunday, the child’s father, confirmed the rescue of his baby, stating, “I saw my baby yesterday (Sunday), but the police have not released him to me yet as they need to complete certain legal processes.”
Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police, stated that the arrested group formed part of a child trafficking ring. She revealed that the primary suspect had previously sold his biological child before abducting his neighbor’s baby.
“This is a case of a child trafficking network that our officers uncovered. The man sold his own child and then abducted his neighbor’s, selling the latter to a woman who claimed she intended to arrange legal adoption through an orphanage in Enugu. Thankfully, the child has been rescued, and the investigation continues,” Iringe-Koko reported.
Prince Wiro, a rights advocate and National Coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability, praised the police for their dedication and professionalism. “The officers displayed exceptional diligence and professionalism in rescuing this child. They deserve recognition from the state police authorities,” Wiro commented. He also called for justice against the suspects to discourage similar actions in the future.
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