The Akwa Ibom State Police Command it had rescued two babies stolen from their parents at a gunpoint in the state.
One of the infants is aged one month and three weeks, while the other is six months old, the Command said on Friday.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Odiko Macdon, who disclosed this during a news briefing in Uyo, said at the time of the rescue of the six-month-old, the abductors had concluded plan to sell the baby at the rate of N400,000.
Macdon said: “Based on a tip-off, the operatives of anti-child theft ambushed and arrested four robbery/child stealing syndicate and rescued a six-month-old baby.
“They are: Emmanuel Effiong ‘M’; Ibanga Sunday ‘M’; Editi Effiong ‘f’; and Idorenyin Iron ‘f’ of Ikot Okubo, Ibesikpo Asutan.
“Investigation revealed that the syndicate used motorbike on October 8 at about 9pm, masked their faces and invaded the house of Mr/Mrs Effiong Udo of Ikot Okubo Ibesikpo Asutan LGA at gunpoint.
“(They) beat the couple, inflicted them with various degrees of injuries and abducted their six months old baby girl.
“Both Ibanga Sunday and Emmanuel Effiong are ex-convicts for robbery/cultism.
“As at the time of the rescue, arrangement had been concluded to sell the child for N400,000.”
On the one month, six weeks old baby, Macdon said a 40-year-old suspect, Margaret Akpan of Ekpene Ukim in Uruan LGA, went to the house of the mother’s victim, Blessing Ekwere.
He said the suspect pretended to be sick and thereafter sent the said Blessing, the mother of the baby, to buy drugs for her.
He added that the suspect ran away with her baby boy before the mother returned from where she went to buy the drugs for her.
The PPRO said the two infants were rescued and reunited with their parents and assured the public that the suspects would soon appear in court after investigation.
Macdon also disclosed that during the period, the command arrested 136 suspects allegedly involved in murder, armed robbery, defilement and rape, cultism, vandalism, kidnapping and other criminal activities.
Macdon said the Commissioner of Police, CP Andrew Amiengheme, remains committed to ensuring the state was safe and advised Akwa Ibom people to go about their normal businesses.