ANAMBRA POLICE ARREST 3 WOMEN OVER CHILD TRAFFICKING, LAUNCH MANHUNT TO RESCUE VICTIMS
By Udodirim Oti Awka
The Anambra State Police Command has recorded another breakthrough in its fight against child trafficking with the arrest of three women suspected to be members of a trafficking syndicate in Onitsha.
The suspects — Florence Nnakuzie, 45; Hannah Ugah, 52; and Chinasa Daniel, 27 were arrested on the evening of Friday, 11th July 2026 at a motor park in Onitsha by operatives attached to the Awada Divisional Headquarters.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, preliminary investigations revealed that Chinasa Daniel allegedly brought two children — a two-week-old baby and a four-year-old — on two separate occasions between June and December 2025 and handed them over to Hannah Ugah.
Chinasa further disclosed that the four-year-old child was later handed over to Florence Nnakuzie and allegedly sold for ₦2,000,000. The two-week-old baby was allegedly sold to another woman who is currently at large.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, described child trafficking as “a grave violation of human rights and a crime against humanity.”
He has ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Awka for a comprehensive investigation. The CP also directed operatives to intensify efforts to apprehend other members of the syndicate and to commence coordinated operations to locate, rescue, and reunite the trafficked children with their biological families.
The Command appreciated members of the public whose timely information led to the arrest and urged residents to continue providing useful intelligence to the Police.
