Eighteen fake operators of children clinic in Ikot Akpan-Abia, in the outskirts of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, were Wednesday arrested as men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, clamped down on the clinic and rescued three children.
The state commandant of NSCDC, Mr. Pedro Idaba, said at the scene of the incident that officers of the command swooped on the culprits following a tip-off.
“This place was used as a medical clinic where they raised young girls, get young men to get them pregnant and sell the children to people that desire children. We arrested the suspects, 18 of them, and recovered three children.
“Earlier in the day, we arrested a man who s*xually abused his 12-year-old daughter. Before then, we got information that led to Ndoki in Abia State and Oyigbo in Rivers State where we also arrested 18 teenagers who were abducted and kept in various locations within the three states which we have handed over to NAPTIP.”
Idaba noted also that criminals involved in stealing and vandalization of high-tension cables, telecommunication equipment, adulteration of petroleum products were apprehended and charged to court accordingly.
According to him, “the command has been very meticulous in the protection of petroleum pipelines, power equipment and telecommunication facilities.
“We implore members of the public to continue to report suspected and obvious criminal elements in their environments to the command for necessary action,” he said.
