In a major breakthrough against child trafficking, operatives of the Anambra State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Awka, have successfully rescued eleven abducted children and arrested a key suspect believed to be part of an interstate child trafficking syndicate.
The operation, carried out on July 15, 2025, was a collaborative effort with the Adamawa State Police Command, following an intelligence-driven investigation that led officers to Uruagu, Nnewi, Anambra State.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer for Anambra State, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the operation resulted in the arrest of a 43-year-old female suspect, Uche Okoye, and the rescue of five boys and six girls, all aged between three and six years. Preliminary investigations indicate that the children were abducted from Adamawa State and trafficked to unsuspecting individuals under the pretense of adoption.
Further findings revealed that the boys were sold for ₦1.5 million each, while the girls were sold for ₦800,000. The rescued children have since been handed over to ACP Shuaibu Wara, who led the Adamawa State Police team, for efforts toward reunification with their biological families.
The Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Uche Orutugu, fwc, MNIPS, PhD, commended the professionalism and swift action of the operatives, especially the team from Adamawa. He reiterated the Command’s commitment to dismantling trafficking syndicates and safeguarding vulnerable children across Nigeria.
In a public advisory, CP Orutugu also urged individuals and couples interested in adopting children to follow proper legal procedures and avoid illegal transactions that may implicate them in criminal activities.
The police have intensified efforts to track and apprehend other suspects involved in the child trafficking network, as further investigations continue.