The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested several suspects linked to an alleged child trafficking syndicate and rescued three children who were reportedly abducted and illegally transferred under the guise of adoption.
The breakthrough followed an investigation into alleged child trafficking across Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers states.
The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abakaliki on Thursday.
According to Ukandu, the investigation began after a complaint was lodged in May 2026 by a woman identified as Ngwe Ukamaka, who reported that her five-month-old baby and 11-year-old child had been abducted.
“The complainant reported that individuals deceiving her under the pretext of marriage lured her to Awgu, Enugu State, to meet her purported in-laws,” the police statement revealed.
“While there, the suspects asked her to go and style her hair, using her absence as a window to abscond with her two children.”
As the investigation continued, police said the syndicate allegedly used a similar method against another woman, Oluchi Onah.
On August 14, 2026, detectives arrested four suspects identified as Agu Okechukwu, Ndidi Kenneth Nwanga, Ugonma Igwe and Alagba Chinyere.
Police alleged that the suspects lured Onah to Enugu with a fake job offer and persuaded her to bring her two-year-old child.
“Upon arriving in Enugu, Ndidi took custody of the child while directing Agu to take Mrs. Onah to a salon under the guise of getting her hair done,” Ukandu stated.
“Agu subsequently abandoned the mother at the salon and rejoined Ndidi to finalize the illicit transfer of the toddler to an eager buyer.”
The police said Agu was arrested on August 12 after attempting to use the same method on another woman. According to the Command, the woman became suspicious, raised an alarm and led to his arrest.
Police intelligence subsequently led detectives to the two-year-old child, who was rescued and reunited with the family.
Further investigation took operatives to Okigwe in Imo State, where police raided a suspected hideout and arrested Benedicta Umeh, popularly known as Nwanyi Okigwe, alongside Obinna Nwankpa and Mmekadinma Oledibe.
The police said a three-year-old child was recovered during the operation and that preliminary investigations indicated the child had allegedly been sold by Umeh to Oledibe for ₦2.5 million.
Two other suspects, Favour Chukwu and Ugochukwu Nwankpa, were subsequently arrested over their alleged involvement in child abduction in Isu Community, Onicha Local Government Area, and another incident in Enugu.
During interrogation, police said the suspects allegedly confessed to drugging a woman in the Holy Ghost area of Enugu before taking her baby.
“The suspects admitted that the baby belonged to a mentally challenged woman in Enugu,” police sources disclosed.
“They secretly laced her food with sleeping pills and stole her baby while she was asleep.”
The investigation also led to the arrest of two Social Welfare Officers attached to Obowo Local Government Area of Imo State, identified as Ebere Anayo and Chinyere Nwakanma.
They were accused by the police of allegedly facilitating fraudulent documentation used to legitimise illegal foster arrangements and child sales.
On September 27, 2026, detectives traced the investigation to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where they arrested Franca Omire and recovered Ukamaka’s five-month-old baby, who had allegedly been abducted in May.
During interrogation, Omire reportedly claimed she had been deceived into believing that the transaction was legitimate.
“Mrs. Benedicta Umeh told me she operated a genuine orphanage working in tandem with the Obowo Social Welfare Office,” Omire reportedly told investigators.
“In July 2026, I paid ₦2,500,000 and was given official-looking adoption paperwork.”
The Ebonyi State Police Command said efforts were continuing to locate and rescue Ukamaka’s 11-year-old child.
The Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command, CP Hope Urunwa Okafor, commended the operatives for their work in uncovering the alleged syndicate.
“The Command will remain relentless in pursuing every individual connected to these heinous acts,” Okafor said.
“Anyone involved in child stealing and human trafficking in Ebonyi State will face the full weight of the law.”
The Command urged members of the public seeking to adopt or foster children to follow official legal procedures through authorised government ministries.
It also warned prospective parents against relying on informal arrangements, private intermediaries or questionable documentation when seeking to adopt or foster children.