Ebonyi police bust child-trafficking syndicate, rescue 3
By Jeff Agbodo, Abakaliki
The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested suspected members of a child-trafficking syndicate and rescued three children allegedly abducted and unlawfully handed over to prospective adopters.
The command also arrested two suspected accomplices, Ebere Anayo and Chinyere Nwakanma, identified as social welfare officers in Obowo Local Government Area of Imo State.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, said preliminary investigations indicated that the duo allegedly facilitated the handing over of children to persons seeking to adopt or foster them.
Ukandu said the investigation followed a complaint lodged in May 2026 by Mrs Ngwe Ukamaka, who alleged that her two children, a five-month-old boy and an 11-year-old girl, were abducted by persons who allegedly deceived her under the guise of marrying her.
He said that while the investigation was ongoing, operatives of the command arrested four suspects on August 14, 2026.
They were identified as Agu Okechukwu, Ndidi Kenneth Nwanga, Ugonma Igwe and Alagba Chinyere.
According to the PPRO, the suspects were allegedly involved in another scheme in which Mrs Oluchi Onah was deceived into believing that she was being taken to Enugu for employment.
He said Onah travelled to Enugu with her two-year-old child, where the child was allegedly taken from her.
“Ebonyi State Command has recorded a significant breakthrough in its investigation into a child-trafficking syndicate, with the arrest of several suspects and the recovery of children abducted and unlawfully handed over to prospective adopters,” Ukandu said.
He said the complainant was taken to Awgu, Enugu State, to meet her purported in-laws, where she was allegedly separated from her children after being asked to go and make her hair.
Ukandu said one of the suspects subsequently abandoned Onah and allegedly joined others to finalise the handing over of her child to another woman.
He added that on August 12, 2026, Agu allegedly approached another woman with an intention to abduct her child, but she became suspicious and alerted the police, leading to his arrest and the subsequent arrest of his alleged accomplices.
According to him, discreet investigation following the arrests led operatives to trace and recover Onah’s child, who has since been reunited with the family.
He said further investigation linked the suspects to the alleged abduction reported in May.
Ukandu said the investigation also led operatives to Okigwe, Imo State, where Mrs Benedicta Umeh, also known as Nwanyi Okigwe, Obinna Nwankpa and Mmekadinma Oledibe were arrested.
A three-year-old child was recovered during the operation.
The PPRO said preliminary investigation indicated that the child was allegedly sold by Umeh to Mmekadinma for N2.5 million.
He said the arrests also led investigators to Favour Chukwu, who allegedly provided information concerning the first complainant and her children, as well as another alleged child abduction in Isu Community, Onicha Local Government Area.
Another suspect, Ugochukwu Nwankpa, was subsequently arrested.
Ukandu said preliminary investigation showed that Nwankpa and Chukwu allegedly took a child from Enugu and presented themselves as the child’s parents before social welfare officials.
He said the suspects claimed during interrogation that the child belonged to a mentally challenged woman in Enugu and alleged that sleeping pills were put in her food before the child was taken while she slept around the Holy Ghost area of Enugu.
The PPRO said further investigation on September 27 led operatives to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where Franca Omire was arrested and a baby boy allegedly abducted in May was recovered.
According to him, Omire told investigators that Umeh, also known as Nwanyi Okigwe, claimed to operate an orphanage and work with the welfare office in Obowo Local Government Area.
Ukandu said Omire further disclosed that she paid N2.5 million in July 2026 and was subsequently given a document purportedly indicating that she had legally adopted the child.
He said the command was intensifying investigations and making efforts to recover the 11-year-old child allegedly abducted by the syndicate and handed over to another person.
The Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command, CP Hope Urunwa Okafor, commended the operatives for what she described as their diligence and professionalism in uncovering the alleged syndicate and recovering the children.
She assured the public that the command would continue to pursue all persons found to be connected with the cases and ensure that they face the law.
The command also advised prospective foster and adoptive parents to exercise caution and conduct proper due diligence through appropriate government agencies before taking custody of any child.
It warned them against relying solely on individuals, informal arrangements or documents purportedly issued by private persons.
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