Police Arrest Suspected Child Trafficker, Rescue 12 Children in Imo

The Imo State Police Command has arrested a 42-year-old woman suspected of child trafficking and rescued 12 children believed to have been stolen for exploitation.

According to a statement by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Henry Okoye, the suspect, who hails from Umudim Ohekelem in Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area, was apprehended on June 20 during a stop-and-search operation along the Owerri-Aba Expressway.

“Upon her arrest, officers observed that the children with her appeared malnourished and distressed, prompting immediate investigation,” Okoye said.

The suspect allegedly confessed to trafficking children from Ngor-Okpala to Aba in Abia State, where they were forced into street begging. She further claimed the proceeds were sent to a motherless babies’ home in Okenyi, Eche LGA of Rivers State, where she claimed to work.

The rescued children, aged between five and 13, are all from different communities within Ngor-Okpala and are now in safe custody. Efforts are ongoing to identify and reunite them with their biological families.

The command is urging anyone with useful information that could aid in reconnecting the children with their families to contact the police through the IGP X-Squad Unit or via these numbers: 0803 477 3600 or 0816 008 7155.

Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, condemned the act of child trafficking, stressing that perpetrators will face the full force of the law. He also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of every child in the state.