SSS arrests Catholic priest, monarch for child theft

The suspects
| credits: Etim Ekpimah
The State Security Service, Akwa Ibom State
Command, has arrested a Catholic priest with St.
Peters Parish, Anambra State, Joseph Okon, a
traditional ruler, Chief Uchenna Onyekaozuru, and
18 others for alleged child theft.
Deputy Director, Operations, Mr. Fubara Duke, told
PUNCH Metro during a parade in Uyo that eight
children had been rescued from the suspects.
He said the service was working on reuniting the
children with their families.
He explained that criminals had resorted to child
trafficking after security agencies successfully
kept kidnapping and other violent crimes at bay.
He said about 50 children had been stolen and sold
in the last eight months in Akwa Ibom State. He
added that the development had necessitated the
command to direct its security operations to the
illicit trade in the last few months.
He said a recent investigation by the command led
to the arrest of the suspects who were members of
a major syndicate involved in the buying and
selling of children.
He said, ‘’Our Investigation into this trade led to
the unmasking of a major syndicate and the arrest
of suspects who are involved in the buying and
selling of these children.”
According to him, the syndicate has abductors and
facilitators who are mostly operators of
orphanages, social and women affairs officers and
agents.
PUNCH Metro learnt that a child could be sold for
between N450,000 and N700,000.
Okon, however, said he only offered prayers and
counsel to childless women who approached him.
“When they come to me, I direct them to
orphanages and they will come back and give me
a gift ranging from N20,000 to N25,000. That was
how I was arrested,” he said.
Onyekaozuru told our correspondent that he had
been in the trade since 2012 and that he had
benefited nothing from it.
He admitted that he had bought and sold over 12
children since he joined the trade
He said, “I have benefited nothing from this thing
apart from disgrace and shame.
“I started this business in 2012 and so far, I have
been involved in the selling and buying of 12
children. I was enticed to this business by women
who had no children; my benevolence led me into
this shameful act.”