Imo State Police Command apprehended two persons accused of child theft and trafficking and rescued two children in the process.
The operations were conducted separately by various sections of the command.
In a swift response to the command’s publicist issuing a press statement, SCID detectives arrested 32-year-old Confidence Odoh of Umuanyo Eziobodo, Owerri West LGA, for abducting her three-year-old former neighbor’s son, Nzubechi Udodiri. The infant was abducted on February 1, 2025, when playing in their compound.
Okoye further disclosed that in another operation, operatives of the Safer Highway Unit, while conducting a stop-and-search along the Owerri-Aba Expressway, apprehended a woman, Eze Chika, 45, a native of Obiokwara Umualoma, Ideato North LGA, who was found with a suspected stolen four-year-old child.
During the preliminary investigation, the suspect initially claimed the child was hers but later admitted to purchasing the child from a suspected child trafficking syndicate in Aba for the sum of N1.8 million.
Okoye added that, in an attempt to evade arrest, the suspect offered the officers a N1 million bribe, which was rejected.
“The officers proceeded with the lawful arrest and ensured the safe rescue of the child. Further investigations revealed possible links to a larger trafficking network, and more arrests are expected. Efforts are underway to identify the child’s biological parents,” Okoye stated.
He emphasised that the recent arrests demonstrate the command’s commitment to combating child trafficking and other organised crimes.
