By Ebinum Samuel
The Delta state commissioner of police, Mr Olufemi Abaniwonda has commended a commercial tricycle rider in the state for his heroic act that led to the bursting of a child trafficking ring and rescue of a three-day-old baby.According to the Command Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Edafe Bright on Tuesday this week, at about 1830hours, a tricycle rider (name withheld) came to Ekpan police station and reported that while he was on his daily commercial operation, four women boarded his tricycle, on reaching Efurrun roundabout, two of these women alighted from the tricycle.
One of the two women who alighted came to hand over a newborn baby boy to the women left in his tricycle. The tricycle man said he heard one of them saying, the balance has been paid while saying that when they get to their destination, they should inform her. The tricycle rider smartly diverted the two women, Tessy Ikechukwu, and Lauretta Akomen, and the newborn baby to Ekpan Police Station. Preliminary investigation revealed that one of the suspects Lauretta Akomen ‘f’ aged 38yrs bought the baby for the sum of Two Million Naira (N2,000,000) from a traditional home located in Portharcourt where they harbour teenage girls, and got men to have sex with them till they are pregnant after which they sell the babies to people looking for children.
The suspect also revealed that she was given a drug which she took for some time to make her look pregnant. She later led the DPO, CSP Aliyu Shaba and operatives to the house of one Gloria (surname unknown) who acted as an agent between her and the traditional home. Suspects are in custody while a manhunt for the other accomplices is ongoing.
The Commissioner of Police CP Olufemi Abaniwonda thanked the tricycle rider for being a patriotic citizen and urged others to emulate him.SP Edafe Bright, the Command spokesman , enjoined Members of the public to reach the command either by reporting at the nearest Police station or by calling any of the following numbers- 08036684974- 08114895600- 08025666914