Fake reverend sister arrested over trafficking 38 minors

The Edo Zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has arrested an alleged fake reverend sister for allegedly trafficking 38 children in Delta State.

It was gathered that the suspect, Ikejimba Maryvianney (AKA Oluchi) 40 and one Chidera, now at large, were handed over the children on the guise of giving them better care in their two orphanage homes.

The children, it was learnt, were handed over to the suspects by their parents at a farm community in Enugu-Awka camp by Monastery, Ilah, Delta State.

Sources told City & Crime that Ikejimba Maryvianney was arrested by the NAPTIP following a tip off, when she came to the farm community apparently to recruit other children.

NAPTIP Zonal Commander in Benin, Bar. Nduka Nwanwrnne, who confirmed the incident, said the suspect was in their custody. 

He said the suspect claimed to be trained in Ghana as a Rev. sister while their headquarters is in Philippines. 

He added, ‘’She came to meet the parents and persuaded them to allow their children follow them to their orphanage homes and that they would be given better care.’’ 

Nwanwenne said on January 28, the suspect was given 12 children while on February 19, she was given 26 children, bringing the total number of children in her custody to 38, adding that the children are all minors.

He alleged that the suspect and her accomplices are human traffickers, who are posing as Rev. Sisters from a convent in Owerri, recruiting children for human trafficking.

He said, “To convince the parents when they were handed over the first batch of the children, the suspects asked two of the parents to follow them to know the two orphanage homes, where the children would stay.’’

Nwanwenne said 32 of the children had been recovered by the agency while six, who are between the ages of three, four and six years, are yet to be recovered

“The suspect, when arrested, claimed that three of the six children are in Badagry while the other three are in Ogun but later said they had been adopted by people in the East,’’ he said.

He said the agency was still on the trail of getting the victims and arrest the other suspect at large and that the suspect would soon be charged to court.