Police Smash Syndicate Using Teenagers As Street Beggars

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

The police have busted suspected criminal syndicate who specialised in using teenagers as street beggars in Lagos.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the suspects were Sani Ishaku ‘m’ 40 years,
Abubakar Gahu ‘m’ 50 years, Abdullahi Mohammed ‘m’ 45  years, Nasiru Yusman ‘m’ 27 years, Mato Abdullahi ‘m’ 20 years and Sagiru Ibrahim ‘m’ 26 years.

They were paraded by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Imohimi Edgal at the Police Command, Lagos.

The police also rescued some of the victims which included Nura Idris ‘m’ 17 years, Ayuba Idris ‘m’ 14 years, Aminu Magaji ‘m’ and Amina Kabir ‘f’.

The police boss said that the success was achieved based on the credible intelligence from spirited individuals who informed the police that a syndicate that specialised in the trafficking of physically challenged children from the northern part of the country to Lagos State, were using such children to solicit for alms from unsuspecting members of the public.

He said that a decoy team of RRS officers positioned a mobile CCTV camera around Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja and monitored the activities of the syndicate for about a week. It was observed that the syndicate conveyed the children to Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, very early in
the morning. Thereafter, the children were made to crawl from one point to another along the highway begging for alms. And at noon, a lady usually brought food for the children. It was also observed that, apart from the guides who monitored and collected the proceeds from the children, another man who served as their leader came around to collect from the guides.

CP Edgal said that in view of the intelligence gathered on the activities of these unscrupulous people, arrests were made. The sum of Twelve Thousand, Seven Hundred and Sixty Naira Only (N12, 760) was recovered from them. He said that the suspects were still undergoing interrogations and will be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations.

P.M.EXPRESS investigations further revealed that it was not only in Ikeja area that such illegal activities were going on by those suspects. It cut across some areas in the state such as Agege, Ikotun, Oshodi, Yaba, Ojota, Lagos Island and other areas in the state. It was learnt that the victims were withdrawn from schools and sent to the streets for begging by their captors.