The Abia State Police Command has arrested four suspects, including the father of a 16-month-old girl, over an alleged attempt to sell and traffic the child for financial gain.
The Abia State Police Command has arrested four suspects, including the father of a 16-month-old girl, over an alleged attempt to sell and traffic the child for financial gain.
The suspects were arrested by operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Gender Unit, at a hotel in Obi, Obingwa Local Government Area of the state, on September 7, 2026.
The Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, disclosed this on Friday while briefing journalists on the achievements of the command since he assumed office on August 10.
Afolabi said the suspects had been transferred from the Central Police Station, Umuahia, and were being investigated for alleged conspiracy and child trafficking.
He said preliminary investigations established that the child was the biological daughter of one of the suspects, while further inquiries indicated that the alleged trafficking attempt was motivated by the desire to make money.
The rescued child has been placed in the custody of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, while the four suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue.
The commissioner said the command had recorded more than 152 criminal cases and arrested over 220 suspects since he assumed office, with several of the cases already investigated and charged in court.
According to him, the command also rescued nine kidnapped victims, recovered 101 rounds of ammunition and cartridges, six stolen vehicles, including tricycles and motorcycles, and dismantled two criminal networks during the period under review.
Highway Robbery Suspect Arrested
The commissioner also disclosed the arrest of a suspect allegedly linked to an armed robbery and kidnapping incident along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway in Aba.
He said the suspect was arrested following the alleged robbery of a woman who was dispossessed of her Toyota Highlander, mobile phones, handbag, and other personal belongings.
The stolen vehicle was recovered, while a subsequent search allegedly led to the recovery of a locally made double-barrelled firearm loaded with a live cartridge, a dummy-barrelledled pis,tol, and some of the victim’s belongings.
Afolabi said the suspect was also allegedly linked to another robbery and kidnapping incident around Immaculate Street, Aba.
The commissioner further disclosed that operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit recovered a locally made single-barrel firearm, about 40 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, two rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, and four empty magazines after suspected members of a criminal syndicate fled a location in Ugwunagbo.
He said the abandoned bag containing the items also reportedly had a military-pattern item, substances suspected to be cannabis, and cigarettes.
Man Arrested Over Alleged Abuse of Son
Afolabi said the command had also intensified its efforts to tackle child abuse and crimes against vulnerable persons.
He cited the arrest of a man over the alleged abuse and assault of his 13-year-old son after a video of the incident went viral.
According to the commissioner, the boy was allegedly tied with a rope, severely flogged, stripped naked, and left exposed under the sun, resulting in injuries.
The boy was rescued and placed under protective care before being handed over to the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, while the suspect was arrested.
Afolabi attributed the command’s recent successes to intelligence-led policing, crime mapping, proactive operations, increased police visibility, and continuous training and retraining of personnel.
He said the command had strengthened intelligence gathering and community policing, while training in cybercrime and intelligence operations was ongoing.
The commissioner reaffirmed his open-door policy and urged residents to report criminal activities and cases of police misconduct through the command’s communication channels.
He also appealed for stronger collaboration between the police and communities, stressing that timely and credible information remained crucial to crime prevention.
Afolabi urged journalists to verify information with the command before publication, noting that responsible reporting was essential to maintaining public confidence in security institutions.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property and sustaining intelligence-driven policing across Abia State.
