In a major crackdown on organised crime, the Abia State Harmonised Task Force has arrested no fewer than ten persons suspected of involvement in motor vehicle theft and child trafficking in the commercial city of Aba axis of the state.
The suspects, all men are currently cooling off at the enforcement agency’s custody pending transfer to the Nigeria Police for detailed investigation and possible prosecution.
Speaking on Monday while briefing journalists at his office in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, the Head of Operations of the task force, Anozie Ogechukwu, disclosed that the arrests were carried out around the popular Bata Bus Stop area of Aba, where the suspects had reportedly been terrorising residents and neighbouring communities through their criminal activities for an extended period.
The operation, according to Ogechukwu, was triggered by persistent complaints from members of the public and intelligence reports indicating that the area had become a notorious hub for stolen vehicles being dismantled and trafficked children being moved out of the state, prompting the task force to swing into action in order to restore sanity and protect vulnerable citizens.
Ogechukwu further decried the growing trend of parents and guardians exposing underage children to street begging, describing the practice as one of the major enablers of child abuse and trafficking in Abia State.
He urged parents to be more vigilant about the company their children and family members keep, stressing that such negligence often provides criminals with the opportunity to lure minors into exploitation.
“Our mandate is clear: to arrest perpetrators of these heinous crimes, hand them over to the appropriate authorities for thorough investigation and prosecution, and we will not rest until the streets are safe again,” Ogechukwu declared, adding that the task force had already extended its operations to Isi Gate in Umuahia as part of efforts to dismantle criminal networks across the state.
He issued a stern warning to those still engaged in car theft, child trafficking, and related offences to desist immediately or face the full weight of the law, assuring residents that the harmonised task force remained fully committed to its duties and would continue to rely on timely information and cooperation from the public to succeed in ridding Abia of criminal elements.
