Police rescue nine children kidnapped, renamed, ‘converted to Christianity’ in Onitsha

The police in Kano have traced and rescued nine children kidnapped in Kano and trafficked Anambra for child slavery. 
According to Daily Nigerian, the rescue was a result of public outcry by the parents of the missing children in the metropolis. 
While addressing a press conference, the Kano State commissioner of police,   Ahmed  Ilyasu, stated that the command’s Tactical Teams swung into action using community policing tools in rescuing the minors.
Ilyasu said: “A syndicate perpetuating this heinous act was busted and Eight (8) suspects that specialized in kidnapping, concealment and keeping in confinement kidnapped persons, buying and selling of minors and trafficking in persons were tracked and arrested.
“Nine (9) kidnapped victims were rescued at Onitsha in Anambra State. All suspects confessed to their offences.”
Although, Ilyasu was silent about their conversion and rechristening, a security source familiar with the situation told DAILY NIGERIAN that the children were first shaved, renamed, converted to Christianity and then sold off either for adoption or “child slavery”.
A document sighted by the newspaper reveals the original names and new names of the children. For instance, 10-year-old Umar Faruq Ibrahim and nine-year-old Aisha Mohammed Abdullahi – kidnapped some four year ago – were renamed Onyedika Ogbodo and Ozioma Ogbodo respectively and some of the children could not even recall their real names as they only answer their new names.
According to the police, the rescue was initated when one Sagir Mohammed Bako of Yankaba quarters and others reported to the commissioner of police between 2014 and 2019 that several number of their children whose age are between two and six years  were missing.
And on September 12, at about 11:00am one Paul Owne of Dakata Quarters and Mercy Paul alias Maimuna of same address were arrested while trying to take one of the kidnapped victims, Haruna Sagir Bako, to Onitsha in Anambra State.
The victim was kidnapped a day earlier on his way back from Islamiyya School at Yankaba Quarters by Onwe and Paul.
While advising parents to be vigilant, a security source said a number of similar syndicates are operating in the state.
“Parents should be very watchful and avoid what will leave them in perpetual agony. The kidnappers are on the prowl. They will just kidnap today, board luxurious bus the next day and sell off children for slavery,” he said.