The Abia State Police Command has rescued six children allegedly being harboured by a suspected child trafficker and arrested a 51-year-old man in Aba.
The Command, in a statement signed by its Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Maureen Chioma Chinaka, said operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, Aba North, arrested the suspect, identified as Nnamdi Lazarus, from Mbano, Imo State, following credible intelligence.
According to the police, Lazarus, who is currently residing in Uratta, Aba, was found harbouring six children from Abriba and Item communities in Abia State.
The rescued children were identified as five-year-old Nnenna Ogbuogu and three-year-old Nwanne Ogbuogu; three-year-old Amanda Iheke Emmanuella; seven-year-old Destiny Iheke Emmanuel; five-year-old Anointing Iheke Emmanuel; and seven-year-old Ihechi Obasi.
The Command said all six children have been safely reunited with their respective families.
Police authorities said preliminary investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend other suspected members of the alleged child trafficking syndicate.
The suspect, according to the Command, will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The Abia State Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence-led policing and the protection of lives and property, assuring residents that criminal elements would have no hiding place in the state.
The Command also urged residents to provide timely and useful information on suspicious activities to the nearest police station to support efforts to combat crime and protect vulnerable persons across the state.
