By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos.
The Police Tuesday in Lagos, paraded the main suspect said to have masterminded the kidnap of a three year old girl in Lagos two months ago, that was sold to three different buyers in the East.
Identified as Grace John, the suspect revealed that she only helped the alleged father to take the girl to his grandmother.
Grace was paraded alongside other collaborators; Rita Eze and Ugochi Nweke at the State Police Headquarters in Ikeja, Tuesday.
Speaking to newsmen, she stated that one Samuel approached her and told her about his ex girlfriend who had a child for him and has since remarried, saying that he wants to take the child from her for proper care.
It would be recalled that little girl, kidnapped on January 28th around Alagbado area of Lagos, had been sold to three different buyers in the eastern part of Nigeria for prices ranging from N500,000 to N600,000, before her eventual rescue in Aba.
According to her, “Samuel told me the woman was her former girlfriend who went to remarry and he wants to take his child from her for proper care.
“Samuel took me to the woman’s shop in Alagbado area of Lagos I pretended I want to learn bead making from her and we agreed on the modalities.
“After seven days I told the woman I was going to buy gala and I took the girl with me to Kola bus stop where I met Samuel, who instructed me to take her to his grandmother in Onitsha, because he is in school”.
Continuing she says “The following day I boarded a bus to onitsha met the woman (Rita Eze) I handed over the child to her and she gave me the sum of N60,000 for transport.
“I never knew the child was not Samuel’s, and I have never thought what I did was kidnapping, I just want to help a man who cried to me that his child is not been properly taken care of, I have not done it before”.
When asked about other people who came to the police to identify her as the person responsible for their missing children, she said she didn’t know them neither has she set eyes on them before.
Rita Eze on her own stated that Samuel was introduced to her by her former class mate she met in December, saying that she agreed to the deal because she needs money to pay her house rent.
“I met my old friend at an event in December and she told me her nephew has a child they need someone to take proper care of.
“She gave Samuel my number and he called to say his girlfriend will bring a child from Lagos, When Grace brought the girl, Samuel told me to sell the girl which I gave to Ugochi.
“Ugochi gave me N500,000 which I gave Grace N60,000, I took N40,000 and I sent the rest to Samuel. I never knew him before. I thought the child was his, I never knew the child was kidnapped, I only accepted to help sell the child because I needed money to pay my house rent,” she said.
The third suspect Ugochi stated that she never collected any money from the deal, saying that she was not aware the girl was kidnapped and only did it to help a friend who is unable to conceive.
“I told Rita if she has or know any motherless child that I have someone who is in need of child to adopt and she told me she will get back to me.
“When she called me that she has the child I asked if it is genuine and she says yes and I informed my friend who provided the money. I never took anything from the money, I handed everything to Rita,” she said.
Lagos State commissioner of police Fatai Owoseni, stated that the suspects will be charged to court in due course after conclusion of investigation.
He equally advised parents and guardians to be watchful and very conscious of people they employ as house help and apprentice to prevent similar occurrence of such crime.
