The Nasarawa state police command has arrested 10 suspects for child theft in the state.
State commissioner of police CP Umar Shehu Nadada disclosed this on Friday while parading the suapects in Lafia.
He said analysis conducted on the phones of the suspects revealed that 45 children stolen have been sold and illegally adopted by unsuspecting members of the public across the country.
Nadada explained that so far, six out of the 45 children have been recovered in Abuja, Ondo and Lagos state respectively, and effort is ongoing to arrest more suspects involved in the commission of the crime and recover more of the stolen children.
“On 10/01/2024 at about 1320hrs, Police opcratives attached to Keffi Division on routine patrol sighted an ongoing mob action and went into rescue the victim.
“Upon enquiry, it was discovered that the victim, Ismaila Adamu ‘M’ abducted a 5yrs old boy at Tsohon Kasuwa, Keffi; he was immcdiately
arrested and taken to hospital for treatment while the child rescued.
“The suspect confessed to being a member of a syndicate that specialized in child theft and sell off same to the highest bidder.
The CP furthermore stated that the investigation was expanded by the command’s Anti Kidnapping Unit and arrested the following suspects Hassana Jacob ‘F 30yrs, Elishua Idoko ‘F’ 43yrs, Gloria Ene ‘F 38yrs, Abdulkarim Abubakar «m’ 52yrs, Ramatu Ibrahim “F° 4lyrs, Victoria Cosmos ‘ F 52yrs, Eforma Sunday ‘ F 41yrs, Dorcas Ologbo ‘F 5Oyrs and Sherifat Amuda ‘F’ 45yrs.
He said that 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 stole 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
