Enugu State Police Command has bust child stealing and trafficking syndicates and rescued six stolen children in multiple coordinated operations.
The operations carried out between June 20 and July 16, 2025 also led to the arrest of 10 suspects involved in local and transnational child trafficking networks.
The spokesperson of the command, SP Daniel Ndukwe, who disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, July 19, 2025 said police operatives arrested a mother and 16-year-old daughter as well as a female accomplice for allegedly running a child trafficking ring.
According to the PPRO, the teenager gave birth on June 30, 2025, and sold the newborn for N1,400,000 in connivance with her mother.
“The Enugu State Police Command has intensified its efforts in combating the menace of child theft and trafficking, recording significant breakthroughs through multiple coordinated operations conducted between June 30 and July 16, 2025. These operations led to the rescue of six stolen or trafficked children and the arrest of ten suspects involved in both local and transnational child trafficking networks,” the statement read.
“On July 15, 2025, at about 9:30 p.m., operatives from the Anti-Cultism Tactical Squad of the Command, working with Neighbourhood Watch members, arrested one Chiaha Josephine (female, aged 64) and Ozomma Christopher Ubanagum (male, 67) in Ezeagu LGA.
“Two trafficked children were rescued: Loveth Mfonobong (female, aged 16), whose name had been changed to Chiaha Ifunanya, and Benjamin Alex Okon (male, aged 12), renamed Chiaha Udochukwu. Josephine confessed to buying Loveth in 2021 for N900,000 and Benjamin in 2024 for N1,400,000.
“Mfonobong could only give her place of origin as Affi (State or LGA unknown), while Benjamin gave his as Oron in Akwa Ibom State. On July 16, 2025, one Ilo Caroline (55) was also arrested for her involvement.
“On July 13, 2025, police operatives from the Command’s Awkunanaw Division, with Neighbourhood Watch, rescued a one-year-and-seven-month-old male child and arrested Chiemerie Daniel Onwe (male, 28).
“The child’s mother, a trader at the cattle market in New Garriki, Awkunanaw, Enugu, had reported her son stolen. The suspect was found carrying the baby and arrested, while the child was rescued and reunited with her mother. The suspect has been arraigned in court and remanded in correctional custody.
“In a transnational case, on July 4, 2025, police operatives from the Emene Division of the Command arrested one Mirabel Oluebube (female, aged 21) after a report that she trafficked a 14-year-old female victim to Ghana. She confessed and helped police arrest her male accomplice, 32-year-old Udenze Ifeanyi.
“The victim was safely rescued and reunited with her family. Both suspects were arraigned and remanded in the correctional custody. On July 3, 2025, police operatives attached to Ogui Division, working with Neighbourhood Watch, arrested one Chinenye Ozoagu (female, aged 16), her mother Ogochukwu Ozoagu (aged 31), and Chidinma Ukpai (female, aged 40) for allegedly running a child trafficking ring.
“Investigations showed Chinenye gave birth on June 30, 2025, and sold the newborn for N1,400,000 in connivance with her mother and Chidinma. The baby was rescued in Nsukka, but the buyer escaped.
“Also on June 30, 2025, the same Ogui Police Division operatives rescued an eleven-month-old baby girl and arrested Ogbuzuru Ifebuche (female, aged 36) after she was caught trying to steal the child from the mother’s salon, where she had pretentiously gone to fix her nails.
“The mother raised an alarm after seeing the suspect leaving with the baby in a tricycle. The suspect was apprehended and manhandled by an angry mob before she was rescued and rearrested by the police.
“The remaining arrested suspects will be arraigned in court once investigations are concluded. Moreover, investigative efforts are underway to arrest members of the syndicates at large.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, psc, has commended the operatives’ professionalism and swift responses. Cautions parents and guardians to be watchful, protect their children, and resist involvement in human trafficking under the guise of economic difficulties.
“The Commissioner further reaffirms the Command’s commitment to fighting crimes against children and urges the public to provide timely and credible information.”
