The Police Tuesday announced the rescue of a one-week-old baby girl from suspected human traffickers in Ifite-Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra state.
The Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga said four women allegedly involved in a child trafficking operation were also arrested.
Ikenga, in a statement said operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu, acting on credible intelligence, stormed a maternity home identified as Mama Maternity in the early hours of Tuesday, where the suspects were apprehended.
He said the police recovered the infant during the raid and arrested four female suspects linked to a case of conspiracy and child trafficking.
Those arrested were identified as Elizabeth Okafor (62), Esther Nweke (48), Ngozi Maanfa (45), and Peace Elijah Moses (25).
Preliminary investigations, Ikenga said, revealed that the suspects conspired to purchase the newborn for ₦1.7 million, having already paid an advance of ₦350,000 to the child’s biological mother, identified as Peace Elijah Moses — one of the arrested suspects.
“The Anambra State Police Command, through its operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, acting on credible intelligence, stormed a location identified as Mama Maternity at Ifite-Awkuzu.
During the raid, the operatives rescued a one-week-old baby girl and arrested four female suspects involved in conspiracy and child trafficking,” Ikenga stated.
He added that the rescued baby is now under protective care, while the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, has ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Gender Unit, Awka, for discreet investigation and prosecution.
