The operatives of Osun Amotekun Corps on Thursday, February 29, 2024, around 6:45 pm arrested a young man Isaac Okonu, 23 years old, from Akwa Ibom State for trafficking five young boys to Ajebandele in Osun State without the consent of their parents or relatives.
The suspect was arrested by the men of Amotekun in Ifetedo after the driver of the Vehicle that transported them from Akwa Ibom to Osun State noticed strange things in the vehicle, the driver immediately complained to Amotekun Ifetedo Command in Ife South Local Government and Amotekun Ife Area Commander was informed about the incident, the operatives swung into action immediately and arrested the culprit on the spot.
The suspect confessed to trafficking the young boys without the consent of their parents or relatives.
Isaac said he met the young boys in the motor park in Akwa Ibom State begging for money and he told them if they could follow him to Lagos State he could provide a job for them and he took them inside the transport vehicle without the consent of their parents or relatives and moved them down to Osun State heading to Ajebandele before the luck ran against him in Ifetedo in Ife South Local Government of Osun State.
The trafficking victims are David Dominic Udoh, 23 years old, from Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom, Moses Ibom Sunday, 10 years old, From Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State, David Sunday Okafor, 11 years old, from Arujukwu Village in Akwa Ibom State, Wisdom Ukpong Bassey, 15 years from Akwa Ibom State, and Hope Nwem Eto, 14 yrs old from Akwa Ibom State.
The victims narrated that they were taken out of Akwa Ibom State without the consent of their parents or relatives and Isaac lied to them that he was taking them to Lagos State to provide jobs for them not knowing that he was taking them to Osun State to work on the farm.
Confirming the arrest to the newsmen in Osogbo, the Corps Commander of Osun Amotekun Corps, Brig. Gen. Bashir Adewinmbi asserted that the suspect was arrested for child trafficking of five young boys in Ifetedo Ife South LG of Osun State around 6:45 pm on Thursday 29th February 2024 after a complaint was lodged at Amotekun Ifetedo Command and Ife Area Command by the driver of the transport vehicle that transports them from Akwa Ibom to Osun State, the Amotekun operatives immediately swung into action and apprehended the suspect and the victims.
Upon Investigation, he confessed to transporting the young boys to Osun State without the consent of their parents or relatives and he lied to the young boys that he was taking them to Lagos State but he planned to take them to Ajebandele in Osun State to work in the farm”. Adewinmbi said.
The suspect and the victims have been transferred to the National Agency For Prohibition On Trafficking In Person (NAPTIP) Headquarters, Osogbo for subsequent interrogation and prosecution.