NAPTIP
Officials of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have arrested three farm workers in Cross River State for allegedly attempting to traffic and sell their employer’s two-year-old child.
The incident occurred in the Ogberia Ochoro community, Ogoja Local Government Area, before the suspects were intercepted following a community tip-off.
Confirming the arrest in Calabar, Mr. Oba Joseph, Head of Operations for NAPTIP Cross River Command, revealed that the agency received an urgent distress call on Monday regarding the alleged abduction.
According to Joseph, the suspects claimed during interrogation that their actions were driven by a wage dispute, alleging their employer had failed to pay their salaries for three months.
“They claimed they decided to traffic the child as revenge and to recover the money they said they were owed,” Joseph said.
However, the employer strongly refuted the claims, stating that the workers had been paid consistently, with the exception of August, which was still ongoing at the time of the incident.
Intercepted Across Four Communities
The abduction plot was foiled by an alert local farmer returning from his farm who noticed the trio moving suspiciously with the toddler.
When questioned, one of the suspects claimed to be the child’s father. Unconvinced by the explanation, the farmer raised an alarm. Community members pursued and apprehended the suspects after they had traversed nearly four communities in an attempt to escape with the child.
Age Discrepancies and Legal Proceedings
NAPTIP is currently working to establish the actual ages of the suspects due to conflicting accounts provided by the community and the individuals themselves.
While community leaders documented the suspects as being 18, 19, and 27 years old, the suspects told investigators they are 16, 17, and 25. NAPTIP has reached out to their parents to verify their birth records.
Joseph noted that if two of the suspects are confirmed to be minors, they will be treated as children in conflict with the law, which could determine the specific court jurisdiction handling the trial.
“Regardless of their ages, the attempted trafficking of the two-year-old child remains established,” Joseph emphasized, adding that full prosecution will follow as soon as investigations are concluded. (NAN).
