A two-year old baby allegedly stolen at Ogu Waterfront in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, and sold to a Calabar woman at the cost of N610,000 at Ogan-Ama, Okrika, has been rescued with the aid of Police operatives.
Sources at the Ogu Waterfront, told The Tide that the stolen baby, daughter of a physically challenged woman whose name was given as Miss Miracle Gilbert was allegedly stolen by one Tokwala Dango, an indigene of Bolo with the active connivance of a young lady who is now at large.
According to the source, the incident was blown open following an alarm raised by the grandmother to the stolen child, Madam Dinah Gilbert over the whereabouts of her grandchild.
The Tide also learnt that the alarm immediately attracted residents of the waterfront, including the alleged suspect, Tokwala Dango, and a search party was immediately initiated, leading to the discovery of the baby at a forest at Ogan-Ama, where she was alleged to have been handed over to an intermediary family with a view to handing same over to the Calabar woman,
Investigations further revealed that the sum of N310,000 was already paid by the Calabar woman, while the balance of N300,000 was to be paid on delivery of the baby.
The suspect, Mr. Tokwala Dango, who had already confessed to the crime to the Police was said to have been handed over to the Joint Task Force (JTF) at Okrika while the alleged buyer is said to be on the run.
The grandmother to the stolen baby, Madam Dinah Gilbert told The Tide at the Ogu Waterfront on Wednesday that she went to the market in the morning of Tuesday only to come back in the evening to discover that her grandchild was missing.
She said that she immediately raised alarm which attracted residents of Ogu Water Front, including the suspect, whom she claimed, was a member of her family from Boko in the Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of the State.
Madam Gilbert, however, thanked God that her grandchild was rescued alive, and called for proper Police investigation into the incident.
Vice Chairman of Ogu Water Front, Mr. Chienaboso Christopher Orupabo, confirmed the an incident in an interview with The Tide, noting that it was the first time such incident would occur at Ogu Waterfront.
Another elder of the waterfront, Mr. Christian Igbiks claimed that he was among those who traced the stolen baby to Ogan-Ama, and arrested the suspect.
As at the time of filing the report, the Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC), Ogan-Ama, could not be reached for comment as The Tide could not trace his whereabouts while the family which was allegedly involved in the deal could not also be reached for comment.
Also, the Rivers State Police Public Relations officer, Mr. Mohummed Ahmed neither replied the text message sent to him nor returned calls put across to him in respect of the incident.
Similarly, when contacted on phone, the Public Relations Officer, 2nd Brigade, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Major Michael Etete referred this reporter to the Police, as his office was yet to get details on the incident.
Gold Monday