(The Three Children. Photo by Facebook/Instablog9ja)
Two suspected child tr@ffickers have been arrested after residents and security operatives successfully foiled an attempt to abd¥ct three children in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The suspects were identified by the police as Emmanuel Johnny, 39, and Ifiok Umoh, 28.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening along the Ekparakwa–Ekpene Ukpa Road in Ikot Ekpaw.
According to the father of two of the children, Itoro Ekpoudo, his seven-year-old and three-year-old sons were on their way home from an evening lesson when men in a minibus pulled up and approached them.
The men reportedly told the boys that their father had sent them to bring the children home.
However, the quick-thinking seven-year-old grew suspicious and decided to test the strangers by asking whether his father was short or tall.
When one of the men incorrectly described the father as tall, the boy realised something was seriously wrong and attempted to flee with his younger brother.
One of the suspects reportedly grabbed the three-year-old and forced him into the vehicle. The older child immediately raised an alarm, drawing the attention of nearby residents.
The abd¥ctors drove off with the toddler, but with a crowd already alerted and in pursuit, they eventually stopped and pushed the child out of the vehicle before speeding away.
Residents and commercial motorcyclists gave chase, tracking the vehicle to a police checkpoint in Ekparakwa where two suspects were apprehended.
In the heat of the moment, angry youths set the suspects’ vehicle on fire.
In a statement released on Thursday, Akwa Ibom State Police spokesperson Timfon John confirmed that officers rescued three children unh@rmed after intercepting the minibus during a search operation.
She disclosed that a thorough search of the vehicle bearing registration number 830 PH led to the discovery of the three children inside.
The two suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue.
