By Oginyi Ruth
The Nigerian Police has arrested three persons in connection with the stealing of a four-year-old baby identified as Miracle Emmanuel.
It was gathered that the incident happened at Umuniko-Isu in Onicha local government area of Ebonyi State.
Our correspondent reports that in recent times stealing of children has become the order of the day in the state especially in Onicha isu.
The suspected baby thieves, among them, are a woman and three men, Onykachi innocent and Amaechi Udo.
Leader of the gang who is now at large had reportedly broken into the house of Emmanuel Chukwu while he was asleep and stole child.
It was the alarm raised by Emmanuel that led to the trialing of the suspected hoodlums and further recovery of the baby.
Youths of the community were reported to have gone after the suspects forcing them to abandon their motorcycle, phone and footwear and run for their lives.
The Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, Odah Loveth, who confirmed the incident, expressed worry over the increasing case of child theft in Onicha local government area of the state.
ALSO READ: PSML Denies ‘DSC’ Asset Stripping Allegation, Says Plant Is Being Revived
The police image-maker appealed to members of the public to be security conscious and always be on the lookout for the whereabouts of their children.
Odah said the police tracked the suspects through their phone and that there is manhunt to apprehend one of the fleeing suspects.
According to her, “One Emmanuel Chukwu reported that around 2am in the morning while he was sleeping in his house, three men suspected to be Onyekachi Innocent, Amaechi Udo and one other person unknown came to their house at Amata in Onicha Igbeze, broke into the house and stole his child, one Miracle Emmanuel of four years old.
“He raised an alarm and his neighbors came out, chased the suspects and child was recovered. The policemen went to the scene and on searching the scene of the crime, one canvas shoe, two handsets and one Keystone motorcycle with registration number UDD 422 JW were recovered.
“There suspects have been arrested which include a woman and two men and one other who is said to have a restaurant in that area. But one of them confessed that they went to the house to steal the baby.
“And in recent times, we have been having issues of child theft at Onicha Igbeze. This time around, luck ran out of them following the alarm raised by this family which attracted neighbors which made them to abandon their two phones and motorcycle.”
