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Delta CP Hafiz Inuwa showing journalists rifles recovered from IPOB members in their camp.
The suspected child traffickers with the stolen children.

No fewer than five women suspected to be child traffickers were among a total of 182 other criminal suspects paraded for various offences by the Delta Police Command, at its headquarters Okpanam Road, Asaba Wednesday, may 13, 2020.

Parading the suspects that included armed robbery suspects, cult suspects, IPOB members, rape and defilement of underage suspects and kidnap suspects, the Commissioner of Police, Hafiz Inuwa, with who were other top police officers said of the arrest of the suspected child traffickers, saying: “While acting on intelligence, on 28/03/2020 at about 2030 hrs (8.30 p.m.), two suspected child traffickers, one Tolulope Bosede, ‘F’, 45 years and Abiola Komolafe, ‘F’, 20 years, both of Akure in Ondo State were intercepted and arrested while on transit in a commercial bus along Asaba/Benin Express way in Okpanam area.

“They were suspected to have sold a newly born male child delivered by one of them, Abiola Komolafe ‘F’, 20 years to a trafficker in Onitsha and were heading back to their base in Akure when they were arrested by the Police acting on information.

“In the course of investigation and following the confession of Tolulope Bosede ‘F’ that she tricked pregnant Abiola Komolafe ‘F’ from Akure to Onitsha where she successfully gave birth to a baby boy, but she later took the baby from her and sold him to one Mrs Nkaneme Melife ‘F’, 37 years in Onitsha while she lied to the mother that the baby died some hours after delivery.

“The buyers, Mrs Nkaneme Melife also later sold the child to another buyer, one Mrs Ekunno Ifeyinwa (F), 58 years of, Onitsha. Meanwhile, the two buyers have been arrested with one Josephine Unnoha ‘F’ and the stolen child was recovered.”

CP Inuwa said the arrest of the suspected child traffickers also led to the recovery of another two weeks old male child, also believed to have been stolen from same Mrs. Ekunno Ifeyinwa (F). “The case is still under investigation,” the Commissioner of Police said.

Giving details of the arrest of members of the proscribed IPOB, CP Inuwa said: “Following recent series of policemen at nipping points and snatching of police riffles by suspected members of the outlawed IPOB in Asaba. The Command’s sustained efforts in the investigation of the attacks and snatching of police rifles and ammunition in the state yielded desired results when some principal suspects with strong link to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) were arrested and made confessional statements.

“Top on the list of the arrested suspects are: Ejiofor Odili ‘M’ aka Bishop 45 years, native of Anam in Anambra State; Sunday Okah ‘M’ 37 years, a native of Ebonyi State; Ashaka Sunday ‘M’ 33 years of Delta State; Chukwudi Nwoba ‘M’ 28 years of Ebonyi Sttae; Onyeka Ezinna ‘M’ 29 years from Ebonyi State; Chima Victor Ekene ‘M’ 26 years of Imo State; Chukwudi Okpara ‘M’ aka Zion 35 years, a native of Ihite Oboma in Imo State; Maxwell Ishiguzo ‘M’ aka Ak2 36 years, a native of Obioma Ngwa Abia State; Christian Ndiogulu “M’ aka ‘Tiger’ 44 years of Umuidin Quarters, Ibusa and Chibuike Uyamadu ‘M’ 28 years, a native of Agulere in Anambra State and others, all residents of Asaba.”

The Police Commissioner said after a painstaking and diligent investigation, on 25/04/2020 at about 2015 hours, while acting on the confession of the arrested key principal suspects, the police operatives recovered the following arms and ammunition snatched from policemen from Ugwunwosu Camp of the proscribed IPOB; 10 AK 47 rifles with breech numbers 109003, 533353, 009981, 59280, 26240, 06515, 4837, 6466, 2581 and 340967; 10 magazines with 200 rounds of Ak 47 ammunition.

The CP continued: “Also on 24/04/2020 at about 12.30 hours, one of the suspects, Christian Ndiogulu ‘M’ led Police operatives to the proscribed IPOB training camp at Ibusa where one AK 47 rifle with breech number BA 354592, with its magazine and 26 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition robbed from Safer Highway Patrol team along Ogwashi-Kwale Road by Obasanjo Farm on 23/01/2020 was reovered from where it was buried in the camp.

“Similarly, on 29/04/2020 at about 23.40 hours, two of the suspects led the operative to Idumogi forest in Okpanam where the following robbed police arms were recovered from where they were buried, two AK 47 rifles with breech Nos. 60037 and 3891, one Smoke Gunner with breech no. 2849197, one smoke canister, four Ak 47 magazines, two hundred and twelve 7.62mm Ak 47 ammunition, one MP3, a set of Allen keys and one hand bag.

“Meanwhile a total number of 13 Police AK 47 rifles with ammunition robbed during attacks on policemen in the over the years have been recovered. Investigation is still in progress,” CP Inuwa said.