Police arrest, rescue 17 kids from kidnapper in Taraba

LUCK ran out for a suspect who specialises in kidnapping under-aged children on Tuesday, as no fewer than 17 children were said to have been rescued from him by the Taraba State Police Command.

The suspect, whose name and age has not been divulged by the police, was said to have been arrested in Ibi Local Council of the state while attempting to ferry the children through River Benue to neighbouring Plateau State.

Confirming the report to The Guardian, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Joseph Kwaji, confirmed that the number of children rescued from the suspect were 17.

He stated that “the arrest was made possible by our patrol team, who have been keeping vigil in Ibi and other parts of the southern zone of the state.”

According to him the state’s Police Commissioner “has directed that the case be transferred from Ibi to the Command headquarters in Jalingo for proper investigation.”

Some persons from the local council, who also confirmed the report to The Guardian, said but for the timely intervention of the security operatives, the suspect would have eloped with the children whose ages ranged from eight to 12 years.

One eyewitness who simply identified himself as Bala said: “Frankly speaking, we have nothing to say than to thank the security operatives for their intervention because children from this community and other neighbouring communities have been missing.”

“Definitely, this would have no doubt led to unnecessary crisis in the affected communities because the people would have been accusing each other without knowing that the kidnappers are not even from this area.”

The need for the people of He said the advice bybthe police that every community in the state should always endeavour to draw the attention of their community leaders to the presence of strange faces in their community, cannot be overemphasized.

While some of these children are often compelled into child labour, some as gathered by The Guardian, end up in the hands of terrorists who train them on how to carry out acts of terrorism.

Though the PPRO denied knowledge of the said arrest, but it was gathered that the arrest was also made by the joint patrol team in the southern zone of the state.

The patrol team, which comprises soldiers, anti-riot policemen among others, as observed by The Guardian were recent deplore to the interior parts of the rural areas where silent killings have being going on.