Two women were arrested in Owerri on April 14, 2025, while allegedly attempting to sell a four-year-old boy for ₦2.7 million. The suspects—Joy Ugwu of Idah, Kogi State, and Rosella Michael of Zamba, Abuja—were intercepted by officers of the Scorpion Unit of the Imo State Police Command following a discreet intelligence-led operation.
The child, Jaffa Umar, who was rescued during the operation, had been abducted in Abuja while hawking vegetables. According to police spokesperson Henry Okoye, the suspects transported him to Imo State in an attempt to sell him off to a potential buyer before they were caught red-handed.
Preliminary investigations revealed that a third suspect believed to be a nurse orchestrated the operation and is currently on the run. The Imo State police have launched a manhunt for the fleeing suspect, whose identity has been withheld to aid her capture.
The rescued boy, who only speaks Hausa, has since been reunited with his family through the collaborative efforts of the Imo State Police Command and the Zone 7 Police Headquarters, Abuja. His emotional return brought relief to his relatives, who had been searching for him since his disappearance.
The suspects have been transferred to the Zonal Criminal Investigation Department (ZCID) in Abuja where further investigations are ongoing. Authorities say more arrests may follow, depending on what the prime suspect still at large reveals.
Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, commended the swift action of his operatives and reaffirmed the Command’s dedication to dismantling child trafficking syndicates. He urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements to the nearest police station or via the emergency line 0803 477 3600.
As cases of child trafficking continue to rise across parts of Nigeria, security experts and activists have called for stricter penalties and more robust monitoring to curb the menace that puts thousands of vulnerable children at risk each year.
