Operatives of the Anambra Police Command have rescued a 13-year-old, Anayo Stephen, from Ubaha-Akparu Community in Ideato Local Government Area of Imo State.
According to a statement on Monday evening by the spokesperson of the Anambra Police Command, Tochukwu Ikenga, Stephen was rescued at Ideani Junction in Anambra State, where he had been dumped by his abductors.
Ikenga, a Superintendent of Police (SP), disclosed that on August 9, four men in a Hilux vehicle had stopped the teenager, who was going to fetch water, asking him for directions.
He added that they forced him into the vehicle and zoomed to an unknown location, however, while his captors were sleeping in a bush, he escaped to the junction, where police rescued him.
The police spokesperson urged the media and members of the public to assist the command in locating the parents of the rescued victim for reunion.
The statement said: “The Anambra State Police Command wishes to inform the public, especially the good people of Ideato Local Government Area of Imo State, of the safe custody of one Anayo Stephen, aged 13 years, from Ubaha-Akparu Community.
“The young boy was allegedly abducted in Imo State but was found at Ideani Junction in Anambra State.”
He added that the boy managed to escape when the kidnappers fell asleep in a bush, fleeing to Ideani Junction, where he encountered vigilante operatives.
According to Ikenga, Anayo then recounted his experience to the operatives before being handed over to the police. The statement noted that Stephen speaks both Igbo and English fluently.
The police are now seeking assistance from the media and the public to help locate Stephen’s parents.
Superintendent Ikenga urged, “The Command seeks the assistance of members of the media to share his picture for possible identification and to reunite him with his family.”
He urged the media to share the picture of the teenager to enable his parents to identify him for possible reunion.
“Given the above, the Command seeks the assistance of members of the media to share his picture for possible identification and to reunite him with his family,” Ikenga explained.
