By Davies Iheamnachor, PORT HARCOURT

The Rivers State Police Command has rescued 17 children bided for trafficking.

The command also arrested four suspects involved in the traffic move of the rescued children.

Police hand on Sunday rescued 16 Children from a compound in an estate located in Ozuoba Community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the State.

Some residents of the estate had noticed the activities of a woman who had always come home with different children and raised the alarm.

It was gathered that some residents had broken into the compound and found the 16 children helpless and contacted the police who came and picked up the suspect and rescued the 16 children.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, confirmed that 16 children were rescued from an estate in the area.

Iringe-Koko said: “I can confirm the rescue of the children based on intelligence gathering. The Ozuoba team acting on a tip went there and the children were rescued from the estate within Ozuoba.

“The case has been transferred to the Commissioner of Police Monitoring Unit for discreet investigation. An arrest has been made. But investigation is still ongoing to find the others involved.”

However, in a related development, the police said it rescued a one-year-old baby and arrested three suspects.

The Command’s Spokesperson SP Grace Iringe-Koko, who represented the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu paraded the three suspects in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

Iringe-Koko said the incident occurred on August 25, 2024, at approximately 6:35 a.m., when operatives from the Ubima Divisional Headquarters received a distress call.

She said the victim, Queen Orlu, 20-year-old, was found lying unconscious in Omeka Farmland at Ucheabuor in Ikwerre Local Government of the state with multiple injuries and her intestines protruding from a stomach wound

She explained that Investigations revealed that the suspect identified as Polycarp Uzoma, 20-year-old of Akwa in Ohaji LGA of Imo State, lured the victim into a bush path, attacked her, and left her to die.

The Police spokesperson said Uzoma then sold the victim’s one-year-old baby boy, Desire Orlu, to Happiness Amadi for N1,400,000.

Iringe-Koko revealed that one Chinyere Ordu, an auxiliary nurse, arranged the deal and received N800,000, adding that the three suspects have been arrested and have confessed to the crime, and the police have recovered N800,000 and a bicycle as exhibits.

She disclosed that the rescued baby boy has been reunited with his mother, who is currently receiving medical treatment at the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit.

He said: “The suspects and exhibits are in police custody and will be charged in court upon the conclusion of the investigation.

” This successful operation demonstrates the commitment of the Rivers State Police Command to combating child trafficking and ensuring the safety of vulnerable individuals.”