The Plateau State Police Command has rescued four children who were allegedly lured away by suspected child traffickers. The children were reportedly enticed with biscuits by the traffickers before being taken.
According to The PUNCH, the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adesina, confirmed the rescue during a press briefing at the Command’s headquarters in Jos.
Adesina said the police received a distress report on October 12, 2024, about the disappearance of four children the previous day.
“At about 4:30 pm on October 11, we were informed that four children had gone missing,” he stated. “A neighbour reported that the children were last seen with a woman named Comfort, who frequently visited a resident of the compound and often bought biscuits for the children.”
Following the report, police officers launched an operation that resulted in the safe recovery of the children and the arrest of two individuals believed to be involved in the incident.
In another operation, the police apprehended 25 suspects for various crimes, including one Emmanuel Joseph, who was found with a locally made pistol after allegedly robbing a female churchgoer of her phone and power bank, valued at N75,000.
The Commissioner provided details of the robbery, saying, “On October 16, 2024, Sandra Dalyop reported that she had been robbed on her way home from church on October 8. She lost a Tecno Camon 12 Pro phone and a Redmi power bank. Through our investigations, we were able to arrest Emmanuel Joseph, and a fabricated pistol was recovered from him.”
Additionally, the police busted a cybercrime ring involving 11 individuals, including two key suspects, Ateh Anthony Idoko and Daniel Idoko, both 23 years old. The suspects were allegedly involved in kidnapping recent secondary school graduates and coercing them into online fraud activities.
“We received a tip on October 20, 2024, that the suspects were holding secondary school graduates captive and forcing them into romance scams,” Adesina explained. “The victims’ phones were confiscated, and those who resisted were whipped by the gang leader.”
Following the tip, officers from Rantya Division raided the hideout, leading to the arrest of the 11 suspects.
Adesina assured that all suspects will be charged in court following the completion of investigations. He also praised the public for their assistance and urged residents to remain vigilant.
“Community cooperation is essential in maintaining safety,” he said. “I encourage residents to report any suspicious activity. If you see something, say something.”
The police continue to call for stronger collaboration with the public to enhance security across Plateau State.
