By Angela Nwaeze Mbaocha
Onicha Local Government Area is becoming notorious for child stealing in Ebonyi State. Barely four weeks husband and wife were arrested for attempting to steal 15 month-old baby at Agbabor Isu in Onicha, by tricking the mother, another syndicate has been bursted in the area.
Their target this time around was a four year-old baby, who they came at mid night to steal, but unfortunately the baby’s father raised alarm and they took to their heels while some of them were later arrested.
The incident happened on August 7, 2019 at Ameke Umuniko Isu around 2am, when Mr. Emmanuel Chukwu, the girl’s father and other family members were asleep, and the syndicate struck.
Police Public Relations Officer, Ebonyi State Command; DSP Loveth Odah, confirmed the incident.
She said that Mr. Chukwu reported the matter at about 5.55am of the same day, and he identified those who came as Onyekachi Innocent, Amaechi Udo and another who he didn’t recognize.
He said the suspects came into their house and stole his little child, Miracle Emmanuel, 4 year-old, and on noticing unfamiliar movements, he raise alarm which woke up his neigbours and they went after the hoodlums who abandoned the 4 year-old and ran for safety.
Odah said policemen were dispatched to the scene and during their search, one canvass shoe, two handsets and one kymstone motorcycle with reg. no QDD 4 22 were recovered.
She said three suspects have been arrested which include a woman and Amaechi Udo as well as another person who was said to have a restaurant in the area.
“But Amaechi confirmed that they actually went to that house to steal that baby and in recent time, Onicha Local Government has been having cases of child stealing and police is not relenting in tracking the perpetrators”.
“Amaechi said the person at large has been into child stealing as a business, while he just joined him. He said he got to know the kingpin who is at large because he got married into the family. That he told him that he is living comfortably and that he should come and join him in the business and they are from the same community” she stated.
DSP Odah, pleaded with members of public to always give police useful information that will lead to arrested of crime perpetrators, while advising parents not to allow their children to sleep alone mostly at night.
