The search for one of 16 female minors trafficked to an undisclosed destination has ended with the recovery of the last missing girl in Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.
The girl was among 16 minors rescued by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), but remained unaccounted for after 15 others were recovered.
The NSCDC spokesperson, Babawale Afolabi, disclosed the development while briefing newsmen on Monday at the corps’ headquarters in Sauka, Abuja.
Afolabi said operatives of the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CGsSIS) traced and recovered the 16th girl in Kwali, bringing the number of recovered trafficked minors to 16.
He added that the suspected buyers of the child had been arrested and were in the custody of the corps.
The recovery, according to the spokesperson, was part of a wider intelligence operation by the CGsSIS targeting criminal networks operating in the Federal Capital Territory and neighbouring states.
In the same operation, the squad arrested a suspected member of a car-snatching syndicate allegedly operating across Abuja, Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi, Niger, Plateau and Kaduna states.
Afolabi said the suspect was intercepted under the Mpape flyover while allegedly attempting to supply a stolen Toyota Camry.
“He was intercepted under the Mpape flyover bridge while attempting to supply a stolen Toyota Camry.
“The receiver claimed he purchased it from an accomplice for N700,000.
“He is a key suspect who has been on the corps’ wanted list for car theft while his members had earlier been arrested and paraded,” he said.
Afolabi also disclosed that the squad arrested a suspected armed robber who allegedly stole a Bajaj motorcycle at gunpoint before selling it for N150,000.
The operation led to the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, 16 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammunition and N70,000 cash.
The spokesperson said the arrests formed part of the corps’ efforts to dismantle criminal networks and recover stolen property.
In another incident, NSCDC operatives arrested a motor boy accused of stealing an airport passenger’s travel bag at Sauka pedestrian bridge.
Afolabi said the suspect had received N200 from the passenger to help watch the bag but allegedly stole it.
He was arrested the following day after surveillance operatives found him wearing clothes belonging to the victim.
“In spite of receiving a N200 tip to help look after the bag; our surveillance team caught him the next day wearing the victim’s clothes.
“The bag and its contents were fully recovered at a nearby laundry shop,” Afolabi said.
The CG Squad also arrested three persons over alleged vandalism and theft of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI) in Abuja.
One suspect was apprehended at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service while allegedly attempting to complete the vandalism of armoured cables which had reportedly begun the previous day.
According to Afolabi, the suspect confessed to returning to complete the attempted break-in with accomplices who fled the scene.
He also allegedly admitted to previously vandalising and stealing generator-house cables and batteries from Sahad Stores in Area 11, Abuja, which were sold for N85,000.
Another suspect was arrested in the Central Business District while allegedly cutting armoured street-light cables.
In a separate case, a maintenance staff member at the National Agricultural Seed Council, Kwali, was arrested for allegedly stealing 15 tractor batteries.
Afolabi said the suspect allegedly sold the batteries for N20,000 each.
The spokesperson said remand and detention warrants were being secured through the corps’ legal department to facilitate further investigation and prosecution of the suspects.
He assured residents that the NSCDC, under the leadership of Commandant General Ahmed Audi, would continue its operations against criminal networks.
Afolabi said the corps would ensure that there was “no safe haven for criminals” in the FCT and across the country.
