Tears of relief flowed on May 28, 2025, as Imo State Police Command reunited 20-month-old Chimamanda Joy with her blind mother, Mrs. Joy Ekwennaya, after weeks of trauma sparked by a fake charity scheme that ended in child trafficking. The visually impaired 35-year-old mother from Amuri Omanze, Isu LGA, had been tricked into traveling to Umuahia on April 8 with promises of financial aid—only to be robbed of her baby by a syndicate posing as humanitarians.
Detectives from the Command’s X-Squad Unit swung into action following the report, uncovering a criminal network operating across Imo and Abia States. On May 23, the first breakthrough came when two suspects—Maria Nwaeze (63) and Rejoice Odimba (29), both residents of Aba, Abia State—were arrested. Their confessions revealed a twisted operation where vulnerable mothers are deceived and their children sold off.
Further intelligence led to the dramatic arrest of Chioma Theresa (42) of Aboh Mbaise on May 27. She confessed to buying the stolen baby for ₦1.5 million from one Gabriel Amarachi (41) of Ngwa, Aba South, who falsely presented himself as a government welfare officer. Police believe Amarachi acted as the intermediary for the real masterminds—Precious and her husband—who remain at large.
Investigations show that the suspects lured Ekwennaya under the guise of enrolling her in a charity program for visually impaired women. Once she arrived in Umuahia, the syndicate isolated her and disappeared with her child. This method, police say, fits a disturbing pattern of traffickers targeting physically challenged and low-income mothers in rural communities.
Chimamanda was rescued after a coordinated sting in Aba involving surveillance and digital tracking. Police say the baby was found in good health but has since undergone medical screening and trauma support. The rescue, carried out at 5:00 PM on May 27, marked the end of a nearly two-month search that gripped local civil society groups and sparked online outcry.
Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, who officially handed over the child to her mother, vowed to intensify efforts to capture the remaining suspects. He warned criminal elements that the state will remain unsafe for human traffickers, and assured the public of the police’s resolve to protect children and the vulnerable.
The Imo State Police Command is urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious charity activities or unregistered child welfare agents. With multiple investigations into similar incidents ongoing, the police hinted that this arrest may be one of many in an expanding crackdown on child trafficking rings in the Southeast.
