The Rivers State Police Command has dismantled a child trafficking syndicate and arrested a suspect, Esther Anthony, in Port Harcourt.
Four children, aged between one and 13 years, were rescued during the operation.
The children were found at Alaeze Guest House in Rumukwachi, where they were reportedly awaiting transfer to a nurse named Loveth, who runs a maternity home.
In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, explained how the case unfolded:
“The Managing Director of the guest house became suspicious and refused to let Esther Anthony check out with the children without their mother being present. Esther left and later returned with police officers, falsely accusing the manager of abducting the children and threatening her with a gun.”
The manager reported the incident to the Choba Area Command, which led to Esther’s arrest. Investigations revealed that she and another suspect, Favour, had conspired to traffic the children from Swali, a community in Bayelsa State.
Another suspect, Purity Silas, was also arrested in connection with the crime.
SP Iringe-Koko added, “Further investigations showed that another family identified Esther as the person who had stolen three of their children in the Rumuodara area of Port Harcourt and sold them to Loveth.”
She confirmed that the suspects had confessed to the crime, and the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Port Harcourt.
“All suspects are currently in custody and will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation,” SP Iringe-Koko stated.
The rescued children have been reunited with their families, bringing relief to the affected parents.
The Rivers State Police Command reiterated its commitment to fighting child trafficking and urged the public to report any suspicious activities related to such crimes to the nearest police station or the command’s hotline.
