The Benue State Police Command has arrested four members of a child trafficking syndicate in Makurdi, the state capital.
The suspects were said to be in the business of recruiting young girls to get pregnant, deliver the babies and hand them over for sale.
The Commissioner Of Police, Benue State Command, CP Julius Okoro, disclosed this in a statement signed by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Catherine Anene, and made available to newsmen in Makurdi on Wednesday.
According to him, the police also rescued from them, one child that was reported missing at Daudu police Division, in Guma Local Government Area, LGA, of the state.
He said the gang have been operating around the North Bank area of the Makurdi metropolis and other places where they are making money in the illegal business.
The statement said, “Following information about a syndicate of Child Traffickers operating around Internally Displaced Persons, (IDP), camp at North Bank and other parts of Makurdi, surveillance was intensified in these area and the following persons were arrested in connection with the offence.
They include “Member Friday, the kingpins wife and accomplice, Stephen Terungwa, Sughter Akegh and Atom Gideon” while the kingpin, identified as Friday escaped to an unknown destination.
CP Okoro said during the interview session, the suspects confessed to have recruited pregnant girls who gave birth and handed over to one Friday, the kingpin who is now on the run.
They also confessed that they were paid N150,000 for each pregnancy that was delivered.
He stated that one child that was earlier reported missing by his parents at Daudu police Division was also rescued from the house of the said kingpin.
He advised members of the public to ensure that their children are in safe places at all times especially now that they are on holidays.
