Child-Trafficking Syndicate Exposed as Police Rescue Three-Year-Old in Anambra

A fresh wave of concern has swept through Anambra communities as police uncovered yet another organised child-trafficking network, following the dramatic rescue of a three-year-old girl who was abducted and sold by a family apprentice.

The victim, abducted in Atani, Ogbaru Local Government Area, was recovered in Nnobi, Idemili South LGA, after a series of intelligence-led operations by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu.

According to the Anambra State Police Command Spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the abduction was not an isolated act of betrayal but part of a broader trafficking chain operating across multiple states.

Ikenga said the child was allegedly stolen by an apprentice, Chioma Anioma, who served in the victim’s household. After receiving information that police were closing in on her, Chioma reportedly sold the child to an unidentified buyer and fled to Calabar, Cross River State.

Police sources told Global Mirror News that Chioma, sensing increased pressure, abandoned the child in Nnobi and anonymously contacted the parents to reveal her location.

“The operatives rescued the child at Nnobi and have since reunited her with her parents. Intensive efforts are ongoing to arrest all suspects connected to the trafficking syndicate,” Ikenga said.

Part of a Growing Pattern
This latest incident heightens fears about the proliferation of trafficking rings in the region. Only weeks earlier, the command rescued a three-year-old boy and arrested six members of a syndicate linked to child theft operations spanning Anambra, Enugu, and Lagos States.

That investigation, led by the Gender Unit of the State CID Awka, revealed the involvement of the prime suspect, Samuel Ibe, whose confession led to the arrest of his mother and younger brother—highlighting how entire families are now embedded in these operations.

Security analysts warn that the use of apprentices, domestic workers, and insiders to execute abductions reflects a growing sophistication in child trafficking networks.

Residents are calling for stricter vetting of domestic staff and increased community vigilance to curb the menace.

Police assure the public that efforts are ongoing to dismantle the network behind the latest abduction and to bring all suspects to justice.