The Police Command in Gombe State says it had rescued three babies and arrested 16 suspects in a case of alleged child trafficking and criminal conspiracy.
ASP Mahid Abubakar, Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, of the command, said this while briefing journalists on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Hayatu Usman, in Gombe on Wednesday.
Abubakar said the case was recorded over the weekend following an intelligence report from Barunde community of Gombe State.
He said three babies were rescued from the suspects within the state, while two others were trafficked out of the state.
According to him, one of the trafficked babies is now in Lagos, while the other has been traced to Anambra.
He stated that efforts were on to recover the other two babies and return them to the state.
Abubakar stated that during investigation, it was discovered that one of the babies was alleged to have been sold for N400,000.
He said the child was sold to a buyer within the state in collaboration with a social welfare worker in the state.
He said the suspects operated what could be likened to a “baby factory” where their victims were kept in a location and their babies sold after birth.
According to the police spokesperson, the command received an intelligence report on one of the parents who sold her child to the alleged traffickers.
“This is a criminal conspiracy and child trafficking where one Khadija Manzo and 15 others were arrested following an intelligence report received from Barunde community over the weekend.
“That sometime last year, one Khadija Manzo and 15 others were involved in selling babies to people in need.
“On receiving the report, detectives attached to Lowcost Division carried out an investigation which led to the arrest of Manzo, and other suspects,” he said.
Child trafficking: Police rescue three babies, arrest 16 suspects in Gombe
