The Cross River State Police Command on Friday paraded a couple, Idongesit Akpan and his wife, Angela, for allegedly luring a woman under the pretense of a job offer and subsequently stealing her two children.
The Commissioner of Police, Gyogon Grimah, disclosed that the suspects, through a connection on Facebook, deceived Ms. Blessing Godday, a resident of Obubara, into traveling to Akamkpa with her two sons, aged five and three, on December 6.
Grimah explained, “The suspects promised Ms. Godday a job opportunity. Upon her arrival in Akamkpa, they took her and her two children to Aba in Abia State, where she was separated from her children.
Unable to locate her sons, Godday returned to Akamkpa, traced the suspects’ residence, and reported the matter to the police.”
Further investigations revealed that the couple had been involved in child theft and trafficking. Grimah said, “They had previously sold a six-year-old child for N800,000 and had finalized plans to sell Ms. Godday’s children for N2.4 million before they were apprehended.”
The police commissioner condemned child theft and trafficking as crimes against humanity, emphasizing that such acts should not be tolerated in any society.
In his remarks, Grimah shared that the Cross River Police Command had made significant strides in combating crime during the year.
“The command charged 399 cases to court, conclusively prosecuted 19, and secured 15 convictions. Four cases were discharged but not acquitted, two are on appeal, 376 are awaiting trial, and 48 have been sent to the Director of Public Prosecution for advice,” he stated.
When questioned, Idongesit Akpan admitted to the crime, claiming it was their first attempt at child stealing. “We do not even know how much we would have received for selling the children. We truly regret our actions now,” he said.
The police also paraded other suspects allegedly involved in various crimes across the state, as the command reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of residents.
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