Ayomidele Oluwasusi
A man has been arrested for kidnapping a minor in Nigeria’s southeastern state of Anambra, police said on Sunday.
Joshua Simeon, 32, was arrested for stealing a five-year-old girl, Nkemdilim Jacob, at the Nkpor Central Park, Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, the Anambra State Police Command said. He was fleeing with the child after forcibly taking her away from her parents who live in Umuota Village, Obosi.
“Police operatives attached to the Ogidi Area Command acting on credible information on February 1, 2025, by 4 pm arrested one Joshua Simeon, ‘M’, aged 32 years from Ohaozara in Ebonyi State at the Nkpor Central Park, Idemili North Local Government Area,” police spokesman SP Tochukwu Ikenga said in a statement.
“The team also recovered a five-year-old girl, Nkemdilim Jacob, allegedly taken away by the suspect from her parents living in Umuota Village Obosi, idemili North Local Government Area.
“The suspect had already boarded a commercial vehicle and was en route to an unknown destination when he was arrested.”
According to Ikenga, the suspect is in custody and currently undergoing interrogation to ascertain his motives and determine whether this incident is part of a larger child trafficking network.
“Efforts are also ongoing to reach out to the parents/relatives of the recovered child for possible reunion.
“The command is committed to protecting vulnerable members of the society, to combat child abduction/trafficking and to ensure the safety and well-being of all children in the State,” he added.
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