The Abia State Government has intensified efforts to secure the release of two primary school pupils allegedly abducted in Umuosu-Nsulu, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, retired Navy Commander MacDonald Ubah, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
Ubah assured residents that security agencies were working tirelessly to rescue the children, describing the incident as a suspected case of child trafficking.
According to him, the incident occurred on Friday after school hours when five pupils boarded a commercial tricycle to return to their respective destinations.
He explained that the tricycle operator dropped off three of the pupils before allegedly driving away with the remaining two.
“The state government is fully aware of the incident and has activated all necessary security measures to ensure the safe rescue of the children.
“We initially acted on intelligence that the victims had been taken to Ngor Okpala in Imo State, but the information later turned out to be false,” Ubah said.
He disclosed that the Commissioner of Police in Abia State had established contact with his counterparts in neighbouring states to widen the ongoing search operation and improve intelligence sharing.
The security adviser expressed optimism that the children would be rescued, recalling a similar incident in Ikwuano Local Government Area during the current administration in which abducted pupils were successfully traced to Warri and Onitsha before being rescued.
He reaffirmed the Abia State Government’s commitment to protecting lives and ensuring that everyone involved in the abduction is identified, apprehended and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Ubah urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing any useful information that could assist ongoing investigations and facilitate the safe return of the children.