The Decoy Team of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos Police Command has arrested seven suspects for bringing in eight physically challenged children to the state and exploiting them as beggars on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja.
The seven suspects along with six of the eight beggars, they recruited were arrested mid-day on Monday at Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way after almost a week of monitoring by the Decoy Team of the unit.
The arrest, according to the RRS Commander, ACP Olatunji Disu, was based on intelligence received from one of its social media platforms, indicating that certain individuals were bringing in physically challenged children into Lagos, using them as beggars.
Amongst the suspects arrested are: Sanni Isiaku (40), Abubakar Gahu (50), Abdullahi Mohammed (45), Nasiru Yusman (21), Mato Abdullahi (20), Nura Idris (17) and Sagiru Ibrahim (26).
The physically challenged children found with the suspects include: Aminu Kabiru (12), Yusuph Nasiru (9), Amina Kabir (12), Ayuba Idris (12).
During preliminary interrogation, Mato Abdullahi said, “I hired Amina Kabir from her mother who happened to be my sister. I bring her early in the morning to ‘Under bridge’ to beg. She begs while I wait around.
“At the end of the day, we make between N3000 and N4000. Depending on what we made, I remove my own and I hand over the remaining to the lady.
“Before, we make between N5000 and N6000. But now, things have changed. We don’t make up to that anymore. A lot of us are here now. Before you get to one car, another set of beggars have gotten there”.
“We have other people we settle daily. He is like our overseer. He has his own cut in what everybody makes. He comes through for us whenever there are problems like arrests.
According to Abubakar Gahu, “I use my son for begging. There are five of them. He is physically challenged. Three others are in school in Agege. The last one is still very young.
“He is the money making machine while his brothers go to school, I bring him here for begging. It is whatever we raise daily that we use in maintaining the family.”
Disu said the case has been handed over to the Gender Department of the Lagos State Police Command for further investigation.
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