The Imo State Police Command has rescued 12 children and arrested a woman believed to be the leader of a group involved in child kidnapping and trafficking.
The operation, which took place on June 20, 2025, was carried out by officers conducting a stop-and-search patrol along the Owerri-Aba Express Road. During this operation, they arrested 42-year-old Ann Ngozi Enyenwa, a resident of Umudim Ohekelem in the Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State.
In a statement released on Sunday evening, Police Public Relations Officer Henry Okoye noted that Enyenwa’s arrest led to the uncovering of a network that transported young children from Ngor-Okpala to Aba, Abia State. Once there, the minors were forced to beg on the streets under false claims that they were part of a registered motherless babies’ home.
The suspect reportedly claimed to work for Shalom Motherless Babies Home located in Okenyi, Rivers State. Okoye revealed that the money made by the children through begging was allegedly sent to this same home, which is now under investigation.
He said, “The Imo State Police Command, through an intelligence-led stop-and-search operation, has arrested one Ann Ngozi Enyenwa, 42 years old, of Umudim Ohekelem in Ngor-Okpala LGA, and rescued twelve suspected stolen children on 20th June 2025 along the Owerri-Aba Express Road. This arrest led to the uncovering of a disturbing child trafficking network that exploited minors for street begging in Aba, Abia State.”
The children rescued range in age from 5 to 13 years. Their names were released as follows: Chinyere Nnaralaeze (10), Favour Madufor (13), Ugochi Pius (13), Ifeanyi Pius (9), Favour Timothy (10), Solomon Ihechi Chinuike (7), Chinaza Madufor (10), Nneoma Timothy (9), Promise Maduenyenwa (5), Gospel Chibuike (9), Chinedu Maduenyiwa (11), and Chinonso Paul (10). All of them come from different communities in Ngor-Okpala LGA.
The children are now in safe custody, and the police are working with other agencies to trace their families. The Command is calling on anyone who may recognise any of the children or has useful information to help reunite them with their families. Reports can be made directly at the X-Squad Unit or through the numbers 0803 477 3600 or 0816 008 7155.
Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, has strongly spoken against child trafficking and noted the Command’s ongoing efforts to protect children in the state.
