The Anambra State Special Anti-Touting Squad Agency has arrested a 42-year-old man, Sunday Nomen, for his alleged role in child trafficking.
Nomen, who hails from Abakaliki in Ebonyi State, was apprehended on Sunday at Nkpor in Idemili North Local Government Area following a coordinated intelligence-led operation.
The agency’s spokesperson, Karen James, while presenting the suspect at its Onitsha office on Monday, said investigations linked him to an inter-state child trafficking network known for procuring and selling minors, including infants, to willing buyers.
She disclosed that two children, aged three and eight, were rescued during the raid carried out by operatives.
James noted that the arrest highlighted the agency’s ongoing efforts to combat criminal activities and protect vulnerable residents across the state.
She explained that the suspect was caught after an undercover operative posed as a buyer and initiated negotiations for one of the children in his custody.
According to her, the suspect admitted during questioning that he purchased the children for N3.5 million and had brought them to Onitsha to meet an accomplice identified as Uju, who allegedly recruited him into the illicit business.
Further findings revealed that the victims had been kept in a hotel in Nkpor while the suspect awaited contact with the accomplice.
The spokesperson added that the suspect would be handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Awka for further inquiries, as efforts intensify to track down other members of the syndicate.
