Abia Police rescue stolen children, arrest female suspects in human trafficking crackdown

The Abia State Police Command has dismantled a suspected child trafficking syndicate operating across parts of the South-East and Niger Delta, rescuing several minors and arresting three female suspects allegedly behind the network.

Police said the operation followed an intelligence-led investigation that spanned multiple states, leading to coordinated raids on hideouts used by the group to detain and move abducted children.

According to preliminary findings, the suspects allegedly targeted young children in residential communities in Rivers State, monitoring neighbourhoods for minors playing without adult supervision.

Investigators said the children were lured using snacks, biscuits, and soft drinks before being taken away and transported across state borders into Abia State.

The police described the method as a deliberate strategy designed to isolate vulnerable children from public view before moving them through transit routes to safe houses allegedly used by the syndicate.

A diagrammatic breakdown shared by investigators indicated that the victims were moved from Rivers communities through transport hubs into Abia, where they were intercepted during follow-up surveillance operations.

Following the raids, tactical police teams rescued the children and arrested three women identified as key members of the suspected trafficking ring. The suspects are currently in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Umuahia.

Police further alleged that the group maintained a network of temporary holding locations where abducted minors were kept while arrangements were made for possible illegal adoption or forced labour transactions. Investigations into the full extent of the network are ongoing.

The rescued children have been placed under protective care and are undergoing medical checks and psychological assessment, while authorities work with the Rivers State Police Command to trace and reunite them with their families.

The Abia State Commissioner of Police commended the operatives involved in the operation and urged parents and guardians to exercise greater vigilance over children in public spaces.

The police also advised communities to educate children on the dangers of accepting gifts or rides from strangers and encouraged residents to report suspicious movements around schools and residential areas.

Authorities confirmed that further investigations are ongoing, with additional arrests possible as efforts continue to uncover other possible members of the network.