Child Trafficking: Police rescue two babies in Ebonyi
The police in Ebonyi State have rescued two newborn babies from suspected child traffickers.
The police spokesperson in the state, Loveth Odah, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki that the babies were rescued by a team of local vigilantes and Ebubeagu Security Network.
She said the suspects were intercepted on the ‘boundary’ between Abi Local Government Area of Cross River and Abaomege axis in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi.
“They were intercepted during a search by the local vigilantes in the area who alerted the police,” Ms Odah, a deputy superintendent of police, said.
According to her, the two babies were concealed in bags by the suspected traffickers, Imabong Mathew and Gloria Okon, who is pregnant.
“Today we recovered two female babies, who are less than a week and two weeks old, respectively.
“The babies have been taken to an Intensive Care Unit of the Alex-Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, for proper medical care.
“After the medical care, the babies will be transferred to the Ministry of Women Affairs to take care of them, while investigation will continue,” she said.
“One of the babies suffers from jaundice and the other is in good condition, but they will carry out a general test on them,” she added.
Ms Odah said the suspects were on their way to Lagos when they were arrested.
She said the Commissioner of Police, Garba Aliyu, has vowed to ensure that those involved were prosecuted.
The commissioner, who commended the Chairman, Onicha local government, Ogbonna Igboke, and the vigilantes for the arrest, urged all community leaders in the state to be security conscious. (NAN)
============