Two teenagers who were abducted from Benue State with the intention of their abductors to transport them to Ghana for forced labour have been rescued in Lagos State.
The victims identified as Precious,16, and Agera, 15, were rescued by the operatives of the Lagos State Police Command at the Itaoluwo area of Ikorodu.
According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, they were abducted from their home in Benue while their mother had gone to the market.
Hundeyin said that after numerous efforts by their mother to reach the older victim via the phone, luckily a Good Samaritan answered the phone and informed her that one of the suspects, Tewase Peter, accompanied by his friend, one Ternugwa Paul, had taken her daughters to Lagos.
Following this information, he said the police tracked Peter down to his place in Ikorodu where the victims were rescued.
The police spokesperson informed that Peter and Paul had been arrested and would be arraigned upon completion of investigations.
“Operatives of the Lagos State Command have arrested one Tewase Peter ‘m’, aged 25, and Ternugwa Paul ‘m’, aged 26, for abducting two teenagers from Benue State,” Hundeyin said in a statement on Monday.
“The victims, one Precious ‘f’, aged 16, and Agera ‘m’, aged 15 (surnames withheld), were rescued from their abductees (abductors) in Itaoluwo, Ikorodu, Lagos.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the victims were abducted from their home in Benue State while their mother was away in the market.
“After the mother’s numerous unsuccessful attempts to contact the older victim via his mobile phone, a Good Samaritan answered the phone while the suspects were not at home with the victims, and informed the mother that one of the suspects, Peter, accompanied by his friend, one Paul, had taken her daughters to Lagos with intentions to transport them to Ghana for forced labour.
“Upon receiving the information at the Lagos State Police Command, detectives of the State Criminal Investigation Department busted Peter’s place at Itaoluwo, Ikorodu, and rescued the victims successfully.
“Investigation is ongoing to apprehend all other individuals involved in this crime.
“Suspects would be arraigned at the conclusion of investigations.”