An 88-year old woman, identified only as Loveth, has been arrested by operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP in Edo State for allegedly abducting and selling a 6-year old girl, simply identified as Success.
The spokesman for Edo State, Mr. Nduka Nwanwene, who confirmed the incident to newsmen at the weekend, said the victim was allegedly kidnapped around Upper Sakponba in September, in Oredo Local Government Area of the state and trafficked to Onitsha, Anambra State, where the suspect purchased her for over N500,000.
Nwanwene said, “The girl was trafficked to Onitsha into an orphanage home, where an 88-year-old woman from Asaba in Delta State, purchased her for N500, 000.
“She was then taken to Asaba. But Success was said to have recalled her father’s telephone number and called him through her abductor’s mobile phone (unknown to the suspect), to inform him of her ordeal.
“Her father, a bricklayer, then called the attention of NAPTIP.
“The suspect was arrested on Saturday and would soon be arraigned to face trial after investigations.
“We are still trying to track some other persons connected with this, because we understand that the man that actually started the whole thing has relocated from that neighbourhood.”
Nwawene decried the prevalence of trafficking in the country.
He, however, called on parents to remain watchful and monitor the movement of their little children and wards, adding that the victim had been rescued and was currently under the shelter of the agency.
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