A suspected child trafficker, Okon Edem, has been arrested by detectives from the Cross River State Police Command, Calabar, for allegedly trying to sell three boys for N10,000.
Edem, a 31-year-old fisherman who hails from Nnung Ikono Obio, Ikono local government area of Akwa Ibom State, had abducted the children from Asikuting in Bakassi local government area of Cross River State, and was about selling them to one Mrs. Ubok-Udom John, a well known human trafficker, when he was apprehended by a vigilante group in the state.
After initially denying what was obvious. Edem later confessed to the police that he actually wanted to sell the boy for that miserly amount.
"The woman is well known in Bakassi as one who finds house maids for people. But, she vanished into thin air as soon as she paid me N30, 000 for the three children I brought to her."
According to one of the trafficked boys, Abasi-Ifreke Akpanudo Uwa, he and some of his mates were playing in their compound when Edem abducted them:
"We were three children playing football at our compound in Asikuting in Bakassi, Cross River State, when Edem drove a motorcycle and stopped near our compound.
He pretended that the bike has developed fault and pleaded with us to help push it.
As soon as the bike started, he brought out a white handkerchief and placed it on top of our heads, while pretending to show appreciation for our helping him to push his bike.
Immediately he did that, we lost our senses and he ordered us to sit on his bike while he zoomed off and when confronted by the police officers on duty at a one of the checkpoints, he told them that we were his children."
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Hogan Bassey, confirmed the incident, saying that the police is still investigating the matter to see if Edem, contrary to his statement, is one of the recruiting agents for the woman who is presently on the run.
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