The Ekiti Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Tuesday arrested two “notorious” child traffickers.
Its Commandant, Mr Donatus Ikemefuna, who announced the arrest at a news conference at Ado Ekiti, named the suspects as Stephen Udoh and Ede Thomas.
“Operatives of the NSCDC nabbed the suspects after they trafficked 32 minors into the state for illicit businesses.
“We have trailed the suspects for quite some time; they specialise in intra-state child trafficking between Benue and Ekiti, and into other states in the South-West.
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“They bring the children here for child labour and prostitution. Most of the children are between five and 18 years,” he said.
He said that the operatives arrested the suspects on Sunday, after men from the counter-terrorism unit trailed them to the location where they had taken their victims who were mostly primary and secondary school children.
Ikemefuna disclosed that the two suspects have been on the watch list over the last two months, adding that the victims confirmed being promised jobs with attractive wages in Ado Ekiti, Igbonla in Ondo State and Ogbomoso in Oyo State.
“Such `juicy’ jobs have proven over time to be child labour and prostitution; we arrested them with 32 children which they have turned to mere goods to be exported and imported.
“We intend to investigate the matter after which we will hand them over to NAPTIP for proper action,” he said.
(NAN)
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")