16 Kids Saved From Supposed Trafficking Organization in Rivers

In all, sixteen kids who were kidnapped and thought to be victims of human trafficking have been freed from their captors in Port Harcourt’s Osuoha neighborhood.

When they featured in a social media video, the incident became global. It first appeared online with a plea for kind people to help find the kids’ parents so they can be identified.

Our correspondent’s inquiries have provided some light on the situation, even though the Rivers State Police Command has not yet commented on it and the Public Relations Officer has not yet replied to messages.

A well-placed police source, who wishes to remain anonymous due to lack of authority to comment on the subject, claims that there was a stir at an Ozuoba compound when two women who were allegedly part of a human trafficking organization were taken into custody by plainclothes officers from an unidentified security agency. Prior to their arrest, the women had been the children’s guardians.

Following the children’s melée, a disturbance called for the attention of the Ozuoba division’s Divisional Police Officer resulted in the children being taken into custody.

But according to information obtained by our journalist, they were transferred from the Ozuoba Police Station to the CP Monitoring Unit at the Old GRA Police Station, where they are being held in police protective custody.

It’s interesting to note that the police are still investigating the whereabouts of both women and the identity of the person who arrested them at the time this story was filed.

The ages of the 16 youngsters who have been retrieved total from 5 to 16 years old. Seven are males and the remaining nine are girls.

The Rivers State Police Command has previously assisted with cases involving child trafficking in the state.