The Abia State Police Command has rescued eighteen children, including eight infants and ten stolen minors, in a sweeping operation that also led to the arrest of ten suspects linked to child trafficking and conspiracy.
According to a statement released by the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Maureen Chinaka, the arrests followed a series of coordinated raids carried out between September 27 and October 10, 2025. The statement urged parents and guardians whose children may be missing to visit the Gender Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Umuahia or contact the Officer in Charge of the Gender Unit for identification and verification.
The police said the case began on September 27 when a complaint was lodged at the Ohuru Isimiri Divisional Headquarters. A woman from Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, had reported that she traveled to Aba with her two children after being promised marriage by a young man. Upon arriving, the man asked her to buy food, but when she returned, both he and her children had disappeared. All attempts to locate him failed.
Acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Command raided a residence on October 8 where several stolen children were believed to be held. Five suspects—identified as Mrs. Best Ndubusi, Charles Enyinnaya, Eunice Ezekiel, Nnena Kalu, and Gideon Esther—were arrested. The operation led to the rescue of one infant and seven children.
Continuing their investigation, police officers carried out another raid the following day, October 9, on a property along the Aba/Owerri Road. Four more suspects—Obiegbunam Von, Ezeoma Rejoice, Ngozi Owoh, and Favour Ernest—were apprehended, and seven infants along with three children were rescued from the location.
The statement added that on October 10, another suspect, Brittney Oyemuwa Zion, was arrested, and one more child was recovered. The case is now being handled by detectives at the State Criminal Investigation Department as investigations continue.
Commenting on the operation, Abia State Commissioner of Police, Danladi Isa, reaffirmed the Command’s dedication to dismantling child trafficking networks and safeguarding residents. He emphasized that the police remain fully committed to upholding the directives of the Inspector-General of Police in ensuring the protection of lives and property across the state.
