No fewer than 53 suspected hoodlums have been arrested by the Delta State Police Command in connection with crimes ranging from child trafficking, armed robbery, kidnapping, car snatching, cultism, murdering and impersonation.
The harvest recorded 16 armed robbers, 16 kidnappers, 10 child traffickers who are specialized in the stealing, buying and selling of children in various locations in the state and in Ogidi, Anambra State.
The Commissioner of Police (CP) Zanna Mohammed Ibrahim dropped the hint Saturday during a press briefing at the Command’s Headquarters, Asaba.
Of the 10 child syndicate, One Abigail Nwakama, popularly known as Madam Cash, the owner of a bar at Stop Abortion, Umuaji, Asaba and a popular radio/television preacher and founder of Gospel Fire Ministry, Nkwele-Ogidi, Pastor Chinedu Strongson, 32 years and 48 years were apprehended in Okpanam and Ogidi respectively.
According to him, “one Aisha Yahaya of Umuezei quarters, Asaba, reported at the ‘B’ Division Police Station Asaba that on the same day at about 1200hrs two ladies she later identified as one Nnorika Obioma and Chidinma Anikwesiri came to her house, introduced themselves as members of SARS police and told her that her husband sent them from Ogwashi-Uku prison”.
The police boss noted that, “the complainant further disclosed that she followed them to a junction where they met Abigail Nwamaka who gave the complainant N3, 500 to alleviate her poverty and asked her to go and buy clothes for her daughter, Fatima Yahaya, one year and one month”.
He said in the process the Fatima was stolen by the syndicate, the mother raised alarm which led to the arrest of Nnoruka, Obioma (21 yrs) and Anikwesiri, 20 yrs while trying to escape.
An 11-yr-old daughter of Madam Cash, Onyinye Nwakama who was found with the stolen Fatima Yahaya at a drinking bar belonging her mother was arrested, her mother (Madam Cash) and Ifeoma Anyadike were also caught by the police at Opkanam, disclosing that “12 suspected stolen children were recovered from Pastor Strongson who pays N400, 000 for each child sold to him”.
Speaking with journalists, Nwamaka (Madam Cash) who confessed to the crime said if given freedom, she would turn a new lease of life while Pastor Strongson who denied his involvement in the crime noted, “I give people money generally. We deliver the world, we don’t sell. People bring children for me to help them pay their school fees. I don’t know about any woman who steal children and brings same to me”.
Also nabbed are William Odiete, Tega Waritoma, Abubakar Ogbebor who dealt ruthlessly with one David Kalu, a student of the Federal University of Petroleum, Warri, “David Kalu managed to escape from them by scaling the fence of the hostel. Two days after the incident, David Kalu returned to his hostel room only to be further attacked by same group of persons. He managed to escape from the scene but his corps was later found in a nearby lagoon”, the CP said.
In another development, one Chukwudi Ijoma, 18 years who murdered his victim, Blessing Ogammer, 27 years and rapped her before killing her has been apprehended even as the CP said, “the deceased was reported to have gone to Aboh town to trade on plantain before she went missing and subsequent discovery her corps in the bush at the end of Ogbegonogo Street, Aboh”.
Ijoma who regretted his act said, “a spirit came over me, it is like that thing was controlling me. When I got to the ending of our street, I saw a complete human being. Before I moved to that person to know that face, if I can shout and hold that person, immediately that face changed again to a goat. We started talking but I didn’t know when I started talking with that thing because when this thing comes on me, it normally control me and I moved with that thing to the ending of a bush and I fought with it”.
He continued: “when I was fighting with that thing, I saw a rope, I don’t know how the rope came into that place, I strangled that thing to death. In five minutes time when I got myself, I saw that it was a human being like me who I killed and I saw myself naked and that thing was naked too and I started crying”, explaining that he reported the matter to his pastor who reported to the community, “I did not hide it to anybody, I reported myself to my pastor and I told few of my people”.
He said he has been having the experience since the last two years without help.
Two of the 12 children has since been reunited with their families while the remaining 10 are still with the police.
