Operatives of Operation Whirl Stroke have arrested a human trafficker, Samuel Ottu from Akwa-Ibom State and rescued five children who were kidnapped from Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau State.b
Briefing news men recently at the headquarters of Nigeria Tactical Air Command, Nigeria Air Force Base Makurdi, the Commander, Major General Sunday Igbinomwanhia said
troops of Sector 3 who are deployed to Nasarawa State, acting on credible intelligence on the activities of human traffickers, arrested the trafficker at a transit park in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
He explained that the ringleader of the criminal syndicate on sighting the troops, abandoned the children and left them with Mr. Ottu.
The Commander Operation Whirl Stroke further explained that during preliminary investigation, a Techno mobile phone was recovered from him and during screening, some of his cohorts were discovered including one Mrs. Tina Nkechi, a resident of Abuja whom he confessed to be working for.
Major General Igbinomwanhia told journalists that the suspect has confessed to have stolen the children from their parents in Angwa Kabir village, Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau State and were to be moved to Abuja and kept under the care of Mrs. Tina Nkechi.
However, luck ran out on the suspect, according to Major General Igbinomwanhia. In an attempt to transport the five minors to the Federal Capital Territory, he was apprehended. The commander said that the suspects and victims will be handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
The traumatised children, the Commander explained, will be handed over to their parents by NAPTIP after all the necessary procedures.
In a comment, the Zonal Commander of NAPTIP represented by the Head of Operations, Mr. Felix Akperaga, said the agency will investigate to ascertain the true parents of the victims before they will be reunited with their families.
The five trafficked children who comprised two boys and three girls within the ages of five to two years, were handed over to the officials of NAPTIP as at the time of filing the report.
