Youths Intercept Kidn*ppers, Secure Two-Year-Old in Cross River

A two-year-old child, who had been abducted from the Bunyia Iruan community within Cross River State's Boki Local Government Area, has been successfully recovered. The rescue occurred after local youths in the Ogberia Ochoro community, located in the Mbube area of Ogoja Local Government Area, apprehended two individuals suspected of the kidn*pping.

The alleged abductors, identified as 17-year-olds Suahnen Lorlumun and Sekeghshie Silas, were subsequently handed over to the Okubuchi Police Outpost. This transfer was facilitated by the Clan Head of Bunyia Irruan, who acted amidst fears that the suspects might be subjected to mob justice by angry youths.

ASP Sunday Eitokpah, the Public Relations Officer for the Cross River State Police Command, confirmed these developments to journalists on Thursday in Calabar. Eitokpah stated that the command was fully aware of the incident and emphasized that the suspects were taken into police custody primarily for their own protection.

According to a police statement, "The Cross River State Police Command is aware of an incident involving two young men, namely Suahnen Lorlumun, 17, and Sekeghshie Silas, 17, who were brought to the Okubuchi Police Outpost by the Clan Head of Bunyia Irruan, for their safety following concerns that they could be lynched by youths in the area."

The statement further indicated that the two suspects were later released into the care of the Clan Head, accompanied by three officials from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) who had arrived from Calabar. "The Command further confirms that the two young men were subsequently released into the custody of the Clan Head, in the company of three officials of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons from Calabar," the police confirmed.

An anonymous eyewitness recounted how members of the community vigilante group intercepted the suspects. The witness explained that the vigilante noticed the individuals attempting to move the boy through their community. "When we noticed that they were trying to take the boy across our community, we had to stop them. We stopped the two of them and arrested them by our community vigilante group," the eyewitness stated. The witness added that the suspects were initially taken to the village square, where they were tied to a concrete wall fence and reportedly beaten before law enforcement agents arrived. The young boy had been missing for two days, having been kidn*pped from Bunyia Iruan community in Boki Local Government Area.