By Abel Daniel, Lafia

Lafia — The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested a 22-year-old woman, Aisha Hashiru, for allegedly attempting to traffic three children of the same parents in Mararaba, Karu Local Government Area.

Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ramhan Nansel, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday in Lafia.

According to the statement, the command received a distress call at about 5:45 p.m. on Thursday that the suspect had been apprehended by members of the public at Orange Market, Mararaba, while trying to abduct the minors.

“She was about to be lynched when the Divisional Police Officer of Mararaba ‘A’ Division mobilized his patrol team to the scene, rescued both the suspect and the children, and moved them to the station for safety,” the police said.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Hashiru sneaked into the residence of one Ramatu Auwal at Orange Market around 5:00 p.m. and abducted her three children—two girls and a boy aged four, five, and six years respectively.

The suspect was intercepted by a vigilant neighbour while attempting to escape. Upon interrogation, she reportedly confessed to luring the children under the pretext of buying them biscuits.

The Commissioner of Police has directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Lafia, for further investigation.

He also ordered intensified efforts to resolve other reported cases of missing children and strengthen the command’s fight against human trafficking.

The police commended residents for their vigilance and reassured the public of its commitment to safeguarding lives, especially the protection of children across the state.