“Catholic priest arrested for buying two kids for N0.9m” & related articles

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gistvibe.com

03 April 2014

Men of the Department of State Services (DSS), have arrested aCatholic priest with St. Peters Parish, in Akwa Ibom state, Joseph Okon, for trading in children.Okon, who was arrested for buying two boys (three and four years old) at N900,000, was paraded alongside 20 others for their alleged involvement in the heinous crime.

The priest, who admitted collecting money from childless women, stated that most of those who came to him for prayers for babies, returned to give him money as a form of gratitude.

“When they come to me, I direct them to motherless babies homes and they will come back and give me a gift ranging from N20, 000 to N25, 000. That was how I was arrested,” he said.

The State DSS Deputy Director, Fubara Duke, told newsmen that the priest bought the children from an agent sponsored by one Chief Uchenna Onyekaozuru, a traditional ruler from Ogiri in Imo State.

Duke stated that twenty children had been rescued from the suspects, adding that the statesecurity service was in the process of reuniting the children with their families.

Some of those arrested in connection with the illicit trade include: Mercy Etim, Collins Edet, Caroline Nkwonna, Cecilia Ngene, Eleka Okoye, Nwaonu Okoro and Chief Onyekaozuru.

Onyekaozuru said he had been in the trade since 2012, but that he had benefited nothing from it. He admitted that he had bought and sold over 12 children since he joined the trade.

“I have benefited nothing from this thing apart from disgrace and shamefulness, I regret it. I started this business in 2012 and I have been involved in the selling and buying of 12 children. I was enticed to this business by women who had no children, my benevolence led me into this shameful act,” he said.

The Assistant Director said in the last eight months, over 60 children had been sold, adding that the leader of the syndicate, Onyekaozuru, could not remember the number of children he had sold.

“He usually operates in conjunction with agents, who liaise with government officials in children’s homes and maternity hospitals.

“The investigation took our men to Abia, Imo and Ebonyi states before they arrested some of the suspects. Over 20 children were rescued.

“Though some of the suspects are still at large, efforts are being intensified to ensure that they are all arrested,” the DSS chief said.

He explained that it was regrettable that criminals have resorted to child trafficking after security agencies had successfully kept kidnapping and other violent crimes under control.

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Priest, 20 others held for alleged child theft in Akwa Ibom

The Nation

01 April 2014

Priest, 20 others held for alleged child theft in Akwa Ibom

Priest, 20 others held for alleged child theft in Akwa Ibom

Officials of the Department of State Security (DSS) in Akwa Ibom State paraded yesterday a Catholic priest and 20 others for their alleged involvement in child theft.

The State Deputy Director, Fubara Duke, said Rev Okono Joseph of St Peter’s Parish of Owerri Catholic Diocese in Imo State, was arrested for buying two boys (three and four years) at N900,000.

Duke, who spoke at the DSS headquarters in Uyo, said the self-styled man of God bought the children from an agent sponsored by Uche Joel Canice Onyekedru from Ogiri in Imo State.

Other suspects are: Mercy Etim; Collins Edet; Caroline Nkwonna; Cecilla Ngene; Eleka Okoye; Nwaonu Okoro; Adaobi Onyeke; Elizabeth Onubogu, Umeh, Ebele Nwadika, Florence Onyodobi, Emenka Anaefuna, Nnamdi Onuchukwu, Ifeoma Gladys Nweze, Chiyneyen Roseline, Idam Vivian Ogbona and David Ogbuagu.

The Assistant Director said in the last eight months, over 60 children had been sold.

Duke said the leader of the syndicate, Onyekedru, could not remember the number of children he has sold.

“He usually operates in conjunction with agents, who liaise with government officials in children homes and maternity hospitals.

“The investigation took our men to Abia, Imo and Ebonyi states before they arrested some of the suspects. Over 20 children were rescued.

“Though some of the suspects are still at large, efforts are being intensified to ensure that they are all arrested.”

He advised parents to be wary of strangers.

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Catholic priest, monarch, 18 others in SSS net over child trafficking

People’s Daily

02 April 2014

From Mike Etim, Uyo

A Catholic Priest, Joseph Okon; a traditional ruler in Akwa, Anambra state, Chief Uchenna Cannice Joel Onyekaozuru; a blind man, Oseloka Okoye were among 20 suspects paraded by the State Security Service (SSS) Akwa Ibom state over child trafficking.

Briefing journalists at the SSS office, along Nsikak Edouk Avenue Uyo yesterday, the Deputy Director, Operations SSS, Mr. Fubara Duke said the suspects were apprehended within Akwa Ibom and some parts of the Eastern states.

According to the Deputy Director, the operatives have recovered 8 children from the suspects and that the children are being reunited with their families. He said that the Command commenced investigation on child-trafficking, when it noted that a syndicate which resorted to child-trafficking had started operating in Akwa Ibom state after security agencies in the state had successfully kept kidnapping and other violent crimes at bay.

Speaking further, he said: “syndicate operates under a cartel with their kingpin, abductors and facilitators who are mostly operators of motherless baby homes, social and women affairs officers and agents.

“Our investigation into this trade has led to the unmasking of a major syndicate, suspects who are actually involved in the buying and selling of these children”.

Based on the operative investigation, Fubara said an average of 50 children were stolen and sold in the illicit trade in the last 8 months in Akwa Ibom State, a development he said had necessitated the command to direct its security arsenal to the illicit trade on the last few months.

One of the suspects, a 61 years old blind man Oseloka Okoye, who was interviewed by our correspondent, said he had been involved in child theft and selling for over 15 years. He narrated that he was not new to security operatives as he had been arrested on many occasions.

He however lamented that he failed to heed the advice of his children to drop the trade.

The Catholic priest, Joseph Okon, who said he was ordained as a priest in 1990 and a priest with St. Peter Parish, in Anambra state, in his narration said “I am regretting; I am full of tears. I will pray seriously because of this sin. I will do like David in the Bible. I will repent to God and make my confession to my Bishop.

Okon was arrested on accounts of trading off two children brought to him and collecting the sum of N25, 000. He confessed to People Daily that he was unaware that the children brought to him were stolen children.

On this part, another suspect, Chief Onyekaozuru pointed out that he has been on the trade since 2012 and that he has benefited nothing from it even as he has admitted that he had bought and sold over 12 children since he join the trade.

Narrating her ordeal, another suspect Mercy Okon Etim said she was working in a bakery when she was approached by another suspect Collins Monday Edet Okpo to join him in child trafficking.

She said Collins laughed at her for working in the bakery and started pestering her until she agreed to join the trade.

She said before her arrest, she has stolen five children, which she sold to Chief Onyekaozuru in Onitsha, adding that Collins negotiated the deal in which she got the sum of N100.000 as her share, saying that she did not know how much the children were sold.

Peoples Daily gathered that a child sells for amount ranging from 450,000 to as much as N700.000 in the trade.

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SSS arrests Catholic priest, 19 others over child theft

Punch   (this report relates to activity in Nigeria)

 

The State Security Service, Akwa Ibom State Command, on Tuesday paraded a Catholic priest with St. Peters Parish, Anambra State, Joseph Okon; a traditional ruler, Chief Uchenna Onyekaozuru, and 18 others over child theft.

Deputy Director, Operations, Mr. Fubara Duke, told newsmen during a press conference in Uyo that eight children had been rescued from the suspects.

He stated that the state security service was working on the process of reuniting the children with their families.

He explained that it was regrettable that criminals have resorted to child trafficking after security agencies had successfully kept kidnapping and other violence crimes at bay.

He said an average of 50 innocent children have been stolen and sold in the last eight months in Akwa Ibom State. He added that the development had necessitated the command to direct its security operations to the illicit trade in the last few months.

He stated that recent investigation by the command, had led to the arrest and the unmasking of a major syndicate involving suspects who are actually involved in buying and selling of children.

He said, “Our Investigation into this trade has led to the unmasking of a major syndicate, suspects who are actually involved in the buying and selling of these children.”

According to him, the syndicate operates under a cartel with their kingpin, abductors and facilitators who are mostly operators of motherless babies homes, social and women affairs officers and agents.

It is learnt that a child sells for N450,000 to N700,000 in the trade.

Okon in an interview with our correspondent, stated that most of those who come to him for prayers for babies, are childless mothers.

“When they come to me, I direct them to motherless babies homes and they will come back and give me a gift ranging from N20,000 to N25,000. That was how I was arrested,” he said.

Speaking with Onyekaozuru in an interview, he told our correspondent that he has been in the trade since 2012 and that he has benefited nothing from it. He admitted that he had bought and sold over 12 children since he joined the trade.

He said, “I have benefited nothing from this thing apart from disgrace and shamefulness, I regret it.

“I started this business in 2012 and I have been involved in the selling and buying of 12 children. I was enticed to this business by women who had no children, my benevolence led me into this shameful act.”

1 Response to “Catholic priest arrested for buying two kids for N0.9m” & related articles

  1. Sylvia says:

    And now a Roman Catholic priest in Nigeria charged for buying two little boys age three and four. Father Okon was rounded up as part of a large child trafficking syndicate.

    Sick! No, evil.

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