…Joyous parents, relations recount ordeal
…Police confirm arrest of suspectsBy Damian Duruiheoma, Owerri
Two-year-old boy, Ikechukwu Nwachukwu stolen from his parents’ home in Umuihim village, Umuozu Ugiri in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State about three months ago has been recovered by the state police command.
Confirming the development to Orient Daily, the Commissioner of Police in charge of Imo State, Mr. Chris Ezike, said that the child recovered from Aba, Abia State last Monday has since been re-united with his family.
According to the police boss, the suspects involved in the crime, led by a native of the village, one Ifeanyi Marcus Anyanwu, are in police cell and helping in the investigation.
According to a police source, the little boy, son of one Simon Nwachukwu, was picked from his parents’ home on Augusts 26, 2017 by the prime suspect, Ifeanyi Marcus Anyanwu, son of Dominic Anyanwu, from the same village while the little boy was strolling within the compound around 7.00am with fellow children.
“Ifeanyi, who was well known by all the children in the compound, had used the advantage of his familiarity with the children to take the child away. People who saw him, thought it was a usual avuncular relationship until about 9.30 that morning when the boy’s mother started looking for him to eat his breakfast. He took the boy to Aba sold him for N200,000 to another suspect in their ring in Aba who in turn sold the boy for N700,000.
“All this while, the man switched off his phone and no one knew where he ran to with his wife. But we were able to catch him when we spread our dragnet across the country. The arm of the law caught up with him when his gang member, known as Akpu, from a nearby community in Obollo also abducted a five-year-old boy and went to Aba to sell him only for our men to trace them there and arrest them”, the police source said.
Meanwhile, it was jubilation galore at the family of the Nwachukwu’s as friends and families thronged to thank God for reuniting them with their lost child. The parents, Mr. Simon and Mrs. Joy Nwachukwu used the opportunity of the unscheduled event to relive their experiences in the last three months since their child was abducted, saying they practically became mad before re-uniting with the baby 75 days after the incident.
In an interview with Orient Daily, the Nwachukwus said they were traumatised by the experience but were grateful to God that the baby was rescued. They said based on the police investigation, their baby, Ikechukwu, was not the only one stolen by the gang.
“I thank God that my son, IK, was saved from death and danger. I’m happy with the police for their effort in rescuing him. My experience in the episode is not something worth recounting. In fact, throughout the period they took my son away, I practically became mad. This is because we have visited many places, both church, native doctors and any place necessary to no avail. My fear was that I didn’t know the hands my son would fall into and that got me sick. However, I’m at peace now because my son is okay mentally and physically,” Mrs. Joy recounted.
She said since the kidnap of her baby, she has become suspicious of any relative that hovers around them. “I’m only asking God to help me overcome this trauma because if someone you know very well with wife and child could abduct your child, you can imagine what the experience would be if you see a stranger around,” she said.
Also speaking, her husband, Mr. Simon said he was shocked to hear that his son could be stolen in his own house in his village by a kinsman whose family he assisted in times of need. “So, I was in Aba to buy some goods because I do my business here in the village when I got a call that my son was missing. I couldn’t understand why it has to be Ifeanyi, a young man in this village, that would do that kind of thing to me.
“Since that day, I was overwhelmed with crowd here with many paying me condolence. But I refused to believe that the boy has gone forever. So, I started moving and spending money and eventually as God would have it, my boy is here with me and I am very happy”.
Nwachukwu, who said the search for his son had cost him about N500,000, thanked the police for living up to their responsibility and the community for coming out in their numbers to condemn the abominable act.
The Nwachukwus used the opportunity to advise the Imo State government to work hard to ensure that the state is safe for the citizens as it is in other states, decrying a situation where someone could walk into a compound and kidnap a baby to sell.
“The experience is killing. So, our government should do something about it and where the culprits are arrested, they should be severely dealt with to serve as deterrent to others. I learnt that the people behind this have been involved in this crime for long. So, the police should step up their fight”, he said. http://orientdailynews.com.ng/news/stolen-year-old-recovered-months/seun lalasticlala [img] http://orientdailynews.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Mbano-boy-768x1024.jpg[/img] |
nwaAmaikpe..u stole my FTC
