A major child trafficking syndicate has been uncovered by the Imo State Police Command, leading to the rescue of two kidnapped children and the arrest of four suspects, including the proprietor of a notorious Abuja orphanage. The breakthrough, announced on Thursday, August 21, 2025, highlights the growing menace of human trafficking networks across Nigeria and the efforts of law enforcement to dismantle them.
Operatives arrested a couple, 43-year-old Monday Atodo from Ofu LGA, Kogi State, and his wife, 46-year-old Ezekwere Ngozi from Udi LGA, Enugu State, along the Owerri–Port Harcourt Road on August 12. The couple was intercepted with a four-year-old boy, Isaiah, whom they falsely claimed was their biological child. Investigations revealed the boy had been stolen in Kogi State by an accomplice identified as Blessing Ogwo.
Further inquiries exposed 56-year-old Ogochukwu Chikwelu, a native of Nimo, Anambra State, and proprietor of St. Theresa’s Orphanage in Apo Street, Lokogoma, Abuja, as the mastermind behind the ring. Chikwelu allegedly coordinated the trafficking network and was arrested in Abuja following a joint operation between the State CID and Imo operatives. She has since been transferred to Owerri for prosecution.
Police confirmed that baby Isaiah is safe and efforts are ongoing to trace and reunite him with his biological parents. Spokesperson Henry Okoye also assured that other members of the syndicate who remain on the run are being tracked. “We are closing in on every single person connected to this crime,” he said, stressing that child trafficking remains a top priority for the Command.
The breakthrough follows an earlier success on July 16, when operatives, acting on intelligence, arrested 29-year-old Precious Okoh from Nkanu East, Enugu State, at Umuguma Housing Area in Owerri. Okoh was found with a nine-year-old girl, Promise Christopher, who was stolen from Igbogene in Bayelsa State. The child was safely returned to her family in Bayelsa after her rescue.
Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, commended the officers involved for their professionalism and vigilance. He described the arrests as a significant step in dismantling child trafficking rings and urged the public to provide timely information to aid security agencies. “This is a collective battle. We call on citizens to stay vigilant, protect their children, and work with us to expose these criminal elements,” Danjuma stated.
Child trafficking remains a serious human rights crisis in Nigeria, with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) ranking the country among Africa’s hotspots for illicit child trade. Recent crackdowns, such as this in Imo, highlight both the scale of the problem and the determination of law enforcement to confront it head-on. The rescued children, Isaiah and Promise Christopher, now symbolize a victory in the fight against traffickers exploiting the nation’s most vulnerable.
