Rita Odafe
The Imo State Police Command has apprehended a 40-year-old individual suspected of child trafficking, named Onyinyechi Emeka.
During the operation, authorities successfully rescued a five-year-old boy who had been unlawfully taken.
Police spokesperson Henry Okoye announced that Emeka was arrested on February 7, 2025, while officers conducted a routine check in Okigwe.
Okoye identified Emeka as a resident of Umuokwu Mbutu in the Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State, who was reportedly traveling to Ebonyi State with the young boy.
Upon questioning, Emeka stated that the boy was her sister’s child; however, discrepancies in her story aroused the police’s suspicion.
Further inquiries uncovered that the boy had been abducted from his mother’s shop in Abia State but showed impressive awareness by providing his father’s contact number.
“On the 7th of February 2025, while performing a stop-and-search operation in Okigwe, police officers intercepted Onyinyechi Emeka, 40, who was en route to Ebonyi State with a five-year-old boy confirmed to be stolen,” read the official statement.
“The investigation revealed that the child was snatched from his mother’s shop located at No. 22 Chimezie Street, Obohia, Abia State.”
“Initially, the suspect claimed that the boy was her sister’s child, but inconsistencies pointed to her deceit. The child’s ability to provide his father’s phone number facilitated his identification as a missing child reported from Abia State.
“It was also discovered that Emeka had received ₦30,000 from an unidentified group with plans to deliver the child to a buyer in Ebonyi State.
“This case has now been forwarded to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation to track down other members of the syndicate. The suspect will face charges after the inquiry concludes.”
