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The people of Nwajala community in Ibaji local government area of Kogi State are yet to overcome the sudden disappearance of seven children from the area. Between the ages of 3 and 8, as well as an 8-month-old baby, they were all whisked away by a 39-year-old farmer, Gabriel Ajor, who reportedly sold them to a human trafficking syndicate in Owerri, Imo State at the cost of N400,000.
The children, whose whereabouts are yet to be ascertained, include Goodway Kenneth (5); Kindness Kenneth (3); Shedrack John (6); Goodday John(6); Confidence Ojonuba (8 months old); Gift Gabriel (6) and Destiny Gabriel (3).
The three parents whose children were trafficked include Kenneth Omale, John Attah and one Mr Ojonuba.
Ajor, a well-known member of the community who had lived in the eastern part of the country for many years, seemed to have leveraged on his relationship with parents of the victims and promise of free educational training to sway them into releasing the kids to him.
One of the parents, Mr Kenneth Omale, who spoke with Daily Trust, said life has no meaning for him and his wife since their two kids were taken away by Ajor, whom he said was his brother-in-law. “He told us that there was this particular woman in Imo State who owns a school and wanted to help him by training his children in that school.
According to him (Ajor), the woman said he would prefer to assist him (Ajor) by training his children rather than giving him money.
“The man came first to the community and took two of his own children (Gift and Destiny) to the woman in Imo. He later came back to convince me and my wife on the need to release our two children for schooling in Imo State.
“He linked me up with the said woman on phone and we communicated with her very well with words of assurances that she meant well for the children. But two months later, I tried calling the woman’s line but it was no longer going through.
“After all my efforts to reach the woman failed, I alerted the vigilante group in the community and we trailed Ajor to where he was based in Onitsha from where he was arrested.
He said when Ajor was arrested by men of the vigilante and asked about the whereabouts of the children, he claimed they had been taken abroad by the woman for studies.
“It was at that point that he was handed over to the police in the area before his case was later transferred to State Police Command in Lokoja. I have spent all my earnings on the matter and I’m yet to know the whereabouts of my children till date.
Kenneth has appealed to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP), security agencies and other child rights organisations to come to his aid to ensure the safe rescue of his two children and the other kids.
Meanwhile, the Kogi Police Command said investigation is still on-going into the matter to ensure the safe rescue of the children.
Police prosecutor, ASP Cornet Ayabatu, had told the court that the accused had between March and June, this year, criminally conspired with others now at large to commit the offence.
Credits: Itodo Daniel Sule / Daily Trust
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