The Anambra State Police Command has uncovered a suspected child trafficking operation in Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area, rescuing 33 underage girls from a compound allegedly used for illegal activities.
The operation was carried out on January 7, 2026, by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu, following sustained investigations into cases of kidnapping, abduction and missing children in the state.
Confirming the development in a statement on Wednesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed that three of the rescued girls were among those abducted in Ebonyi State on September 26, 2025.
He identified the victims as Divine Mbam, 14; Nwagu Favour, 15; and Oke Blessing, 18, adding that the raid was prompted by a distress report from relatives who received information that the girls had been sighted along Emma Pigin Road, Aguleri.
Ikenga said a 37-year-old suspect, Ifeoma Success Anthony, was arrested during the operation, while preliminary investigations revealed that the building where the girls were found is allegedly linked to child trafficking and prostitution.
According to him, the property is reportedly owned by a woman identified as Mrs Ngozi Nnanyelugo, aged 45, who is currently at large.
“Efforts are ongoing to arrest the principal suspect, while investigations continue to uncover the full extent of the crime and identify other accomplices,” Ikenga said.
The police spokesperson reiterated the Command’s commitment to protecting vulnerable children and dismantling criminal networks involved in human trafficking, urging members of the public to provide useful information to aid ongoing investigations.
He noted that the latest breakthrough follows a similar operation on October 29, 2025, when the RRS rescued a newborn baby girl and arrested four women in Ifite-Awkuzu, also in Oyi Local Government Area, over alleged conspiracy and child trafficking.
Ikenga assured that the Anambra State Police Command remains resolute in safeguarding lives and sustaining efforts to curb crimes against children across the state.
