September 7, 2022

Rivers State Police command has rescued 15 children who were abducted for trafficking purpose.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Commissioner of police in the state, Friday Eboka, said based on intelligence, Maureen Wechinwu was arrested at her residence in Aluu Community, Ikwerre Local Council of Rivers State and rescued 15 children from her home.

Police said they were working to reunite the children ranging from 4 years to 15 years old with their parents found with the 44-year-old woman claiming to be a Rev. Sister.

One rescued nine-year-old boy had been taken from a market in October 2020 in neighbouring Bayelsa state and had already been sold to a woman in Lagos and returned to Wechinwu, police said.

Investigation is ongoing with the view of arresting other suspects linked in the case, Eboka Friday, Rivers state commissioner of police said in the statement.

Eboka said preliminary investigations have shown that the children were picked from different parts of the country and were being sold out to people.

According to him, it took about 24 hour before the children were able to tell their experiences to the police, adding that they were tortured and hypnotised.