Imo Police Foil Child Trafficking Attempt, Nab 2 Women for Trying to Sell Abducted Minor
Operatives of the Imo State Police Command have apprehended two women in Owerri while attempting to sell a four-year-old boy who was earlier kidnapped in Abuja.
The suspects, identified as Joy Ugwu from Idah, Kogi State, and Rosella Michael from Zamba, Abuja, were reportedly negotiating to sell the child for ₦2.7 million when they were arrested on April 14.
Police spokesperson, DSP Henry Okoye, who confirmed the development in a statement issued Thursday, revealed that the minor, identified as Jaffa Umar, was abducted in Abuja while hawking vegetables and transported to Imo State by the suspects.
“The arrest followed a well-coordinated intelligence-led operation by operatives of the Command’s Scorpion Unit, in collaboration with Zone 7 Police Headquarters, Abuja. The suspects were intercepted around 6:00 p.m. on April 14 in Owerri during a negotiation to sell the victim,” Okoye stated.
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He further disclosed that a third accomplice, suspected to be a nurse who played a key role in the trafficking ring, is currently on the run.
Preliminary investigations show that young Jaffa, who speaks Hausa fluently, had been separated from his family after his abduction in the Federal Capital Territory. Thanks to swift police action, he has since been reunited with his family through joint efforts between Imo State Command and Zone 7 headquarters.
The arrested suspects have been transferred to the Zonal Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja for further interrogation and prosecution.
In response to the incident, Imo State Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, reaffirmed the Command’s zero tolerance for child trafficking and crimes against vulnerable groups. He urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station or through the Command’s emergency line: 0803 477 3600.
The police have launched a manhunt for the fleeing third suspect as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle trafficking syndicates operating across the country.
By PRNigeria
