The Anambra State Police Command has arrested three women over their alleged involvement in a child trafficking syndicate, including the alleged sale of a four-year-old boy for ₦2 million.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, identifying the suspects as Florence Nnakuzie, 45; Hannah Ugah, 52; and Chinasa Daniel, 27.
According to Ikenga, operatives attached to the Awada Divisional Headquarters arrested the suspects during a raid on their hideouts at a motor park in Onitsha on Saturday evening.
He alleged that the suspects are members of a child trafficking syndicate involved in trafficking children and selling them to buyers for varying amounts. He added that although some members of the syndicate escaped during the operation, police rescued some of the children.
Preliminary investigations, according to the police, revealed that Chinasa Daniel allegedly brought two children—a two-week-old baby and a four-year-old boy—on separate occasions between June and December 2025 and handed them over to Hannah Ugah.
The police alleged that the four-year-old boy was later handed over to Florence Nnakuzie, who sold him for ₦2 million, while the two-week-old baby was reportedly sold to another woman who is currently at large.
The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Ikioye Orutugu, described child trafficking as a grave violation of human rights and a crime against humanity. He directed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Awka, for a comprehensive investigation.
The police commissioner also ordered operatives to intensify efforts to arrest other members of the syndicate and launch coordinated operations to locate, rescue and reunite the trafficked children with their biological families.
The command commended members of the public whose timely information led to the successful operation and urged residents to continue providing credible intelligence to support efforts to combat child trafficking.
