Akwa Ibom state police command has captured a group who killed a mother and two children and sold the kids to another group in Abia state.
Parading the suspects in Uyo on Sunday, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olataye Duresinmi mentioned the suspects as Happiness Ndueso and Blessing Joseph from Ifa Idang in Uruan local government area of the state while one Marius Obi was named as the group leader in Abia state who bought the two kids for N600,000 only.
The Commissioner of Police revealed that during the investigation, the two suspects confessed that Felix Edem popularly known as “Black Bishop” and Joe Fine boy from the same community abducted the kids’ mother, Queen Ime from Ifiayong Usuk with her two male children into a tricycle at Ikot Akpa Etok road and later killed her before he dumped the corpse on the roadside and bolted away with the children.
“On 30th August 2022 at about 0700hrs, Felix took Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad to Aba in Abia State, where the said Marius Obi was lured and arrested.
“One of the suspects Blessing Joseph confessed that she had sold over three children to the syndicate in Abia state before she was arrested,” the CP said.
He further stated that the suspect in Abia later resold the children aged one and half and three years respectively to another group now at large.
According to him, the two kids are not yet recovered but assured that since the suspects are still within the police custody, they would help to trace the buyers so that they can be brought to book.
“During interrogation, he confessed to have re-sold the two children to his syndicate member known as Nwanyiocha ‘f’, address unknown,” he stated.
CP Duresinmi explained that locally made single barrel pistol without ammunition was recovered from the third suspect, which he confessed to using for the acts.
He, therefore, pledged to residents of the state that criminals will be sent out as manhunt against criminals begun in the state.