POLICE RESCUE NEWBORN, ARREST FOUR WOMEN OVER CHILD TRAFFICKING IN ANAMBRA
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Anambra State Police Command has rescued a one-week-old baby girl and arrested four female suspects allegedly involved in child trafficking at Ifite-Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement issued in Awka on Tuesday, noting that the operation was carried out by operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, following credible intelligence.
According to Ikenga, the police stormed a maternity home known as Mama Maternity in the early hours of the day, where the suspects were arrested and the baby rescued.
“The arrested suspects include Elizabeth Okafor (62 years), Esther Nweke (48 years), Ngozi Maanfa (45 years), and Peace Elijah Moses (25 years). Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects conspired among themselves and allegedly purchased the newborn baby for the sum of ₦1.7 million,” the statement read in part.
He added that an advance payment of ₦350,000 had already been made to the purported biological mother of the child, identified as Peace Elijah Moses, who is among those arrested.
Ikenga confirmed that the baby has been placed under protective care, while the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, has ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (Gender Unit), Awka, for discreet investigation and prosecution.
“The Commissioner of Police reaffirmed the Command’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and intensifying the fight against all forms of human trafficking in the state,” he added.
This latest development follows a similar breakthrough in July 2025, when the command uncovered an interstate child trafficking syndicate operating in Uruagu, Nnewi North Local Government Area.
During that operation, police rescued 11 children five boys and six girls and arrested one suspect. Investigations revealed that the children had been abducted from Adamawa State and sold to unsuspecting adopters for between ₦800,000 and ₦1.5 million each.
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