Lagos State Police Command has disclosed that it rescued five more children from a suspected human trafficking syndicate operating in Kwara State but arrested in the state.
The State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, revealed this on Monday, noting thatthe rescued children have been reunited with their families.
A suspected kingpin of child trafficking and labour syndicate was arrested on January 28 after three months of intelligence gathering on their activities by the police command.
The PPRO earlier stated that the syndicate usually brought under-aged children from the north to Lagos for child labour and other illegal activities against children.
He said on January 25, 45-year-old leader of the syndicate, Alimot Haruna, of Molete Village, Ilorin, was arrested by detectives from Ijora Badia Police Division, who had monitored her movements.
“In the process, three underage children, two females and one male, whose names could not be ascertained – between ages 7 and 12 – of no fixed address, were rescued from her. During interrogation, she confessed to the crime. “Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect had illegally brought 42 children to Lagos State for child labour without their parent’s consent. It was also revealed that the suspect had been declared wanted by the Kwara State Police Command in connection with similar crimes,” he said.
Hundeyin stated further that the Kwara State Police Command confirmed that they recovered some of the children except 11 others. The suspect also mentioned locations she kept the other children.
“Their current custodians were contacted and they admitted having the children. While awaiting operatives from Kwara State Police Command Anti-Trafficking Unit to harmonise the case, efforts are on to rescue the remaining eight children,” he added.
Five of the eight children have been rescued, while the police are still working to rescue the remaining three.
