Richard Ginika Izuora
The Taraba Police Command has arrested a suspected child trafficker, Mary Yakubu, with 23 children.
Mary was paraded along with other suspects on Monday at the State Police Command headquarters in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.
The Police Public Relations Officer, David Misal, said the suspect was intercepted with the children, who are between the ages four and seven, comprise 14 boys and nine girls at a park in Bali Local Government Area of the state while they were about to board a vehicle.
In a twist of tale, Misal revealed that seven parents of some of the children have been arrested in connection with the crime while investigation was ongoing to apprehend others.
On her part, the suspect claimed that the children were given to her by their parents to help get those in need of children to take care of them.
“The parents of the children told me to come get them for people who would help cater to their educational needs because, in their villages, there are no schools.
“This is actually the first time I am doing this, and I did not collect any money from their parents,” Mary claimed.
She added, “I am a mother of seven, a teacher at Adamu Primary School in Bali LGA. I am 45 years and was arrested at the car park in Bali when I was about leaving with the children.”
He revealed that the 23 children have been handed over to the Ministry of Social Welfare in the state.