The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has commenced an investigation into a case involving a woman who allegedly entrusted her children to a relatively new co-tenant, who later absconded with them.
The incident, which reportedly occurred in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area of the state, was captured in a trending video circulating online.
Confirming the incident in a statement on Thursday in Uyo, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, said the command was working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident, locate the children and apprehend anyone found culpable.
The statement read, “The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has reacted to a trending video circulating online in which a woman was reported to have entrusted her children to a relatively new co-tenant who allegedly absconded with them before her return.
“The incident, which reportedly occurred in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, is currently receiving the attention of the Police, and investigation has commenced with a view to establishing the full circumstances surrounding the matter, locating the children and apprehending any person found culpable.”
In his reaction, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare, warned landlords, property owners and house agents across the state to exercise greater caution and carry out due diligence on prospective tenants before giving out accommodation.
Azare said persons with criminal intentions might secure accommodation, gain the confidence of unsuspecting co-tenants and exploit such relationships to perpetrate crimes, particularly child abduction and trafficking.
He advised landlords and agents to ensure prospective tenants provided verifiable information, including valid means of identification, functional telephone numbers, previous residential addresses, next-of-kin details and credible guarantors or referees.
“I want to therefore advise landlords and property agents to ensure that prospective tenants provide verifiable information before taking possession of any property. Such information should, as much as possible, include valid means of identification, functional telephone numbers, previous residential addresses, next-of-kin details and credible guarantors or referees,” he said.
He further urged landlords and co-tenants to maintain proper records of tenants and promptly report suspicious conduct or activities capable of threatening the safety of occupants.
The police warned that any landlord, property agent or person who knowingly harboured criminals, concealed the identity or whereabouts of a suspect, deliberately provided false information to investigators or assisted an offender to evade arrest would be investigated and prosecuted.
The commissioner also cautioned content creators, bloggers and social media users against rushing sensitive cases of child abduction and trafficking to social media without first liaising with the police.
He noted that while social media could create awareness, premature release of sensitive information concerning victims, suspects or operations could alert offenders, enable them to relocate victims, destroy evidence or flee.
“Henceforth, anyone whose deliberate actions obstruct an investigation, conceal an offender, compromise the rescue of a victim or materially assist a suspect to evade justice under the guise of content creation will be investigated and, where evidence warrants, prosecuted,” the statement read.
Azare also urged parents and guardians to exercise extreme caution when entrusting their children to newly acquainted neighbours, domestic workers or persons whose identities were not sufficiently known.
He reassured residents that the command would deploy all lawful resources to combat child abduction and trafficking, rescue victims and bring perpetrators to justice.
He called on members of the public with useful information regarding the whereabouts of the missing children to contact the nearest police station or the Akwa Ibom State Police Command.
