Police Rescue Victims, Arrest Suspects As Child Trafficking Surges In Enugu

Less than three months after security operatives rescued a 13-year-old girl allegedly abducted for ritual purposes in Enugu, operatives of the state police command in collaboration with Neighbourhood Watch have rescued six stolen or trafficked children.

The police rescued the six children and arrested 10 suspected local and transnational child traffickers through multiple coordinated operations conducted between June 30 and July 16, 2025.

LEADERSHIP gathered that on July 15, 2025, at 9:30 p.m., operatives from the Anti-Cultism Tactical Squad of the Enugu State Police Command, working with Neighbourhood Watch members, arrested a 64-year-old female suspect identified as Chiaha Josephine and a 67-year-old male suspect identified as Ozomma Christopher Ubanagum in Ezeagu local government area.

The operatives rescued two trafficked children, identified as Loveth Mfonobong and Benjamin Alex Okon, aged 16 and 12 years respectively.

Apparently, to destroy the children’s identities, Loveth Mfonobong’s name was changed to Chiaha Ifunanya, while Benjamin Alex Okon was renamed Chiaha Udochukwu.

The police command spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, who confirmed the arrest and rescue of the children, said one Josephine confessed to buying Loveth in 2021 for ₦900,000 and Benjamin in 2024 for ₦1,400,000.

Ndukwe said Mfonobong could only give her place of origin as Affi, while the state or local government of the victim, remain unknown. Benjamin gave his as Oron in Akwa Ibom State.

He said the command has arrested one Ilo Caroline for her involvement in the heinous act.

On July 13, 2025, police operatives from the command’s Awkunanaw Division, with Neighbourhood Watch, rescued a one-year-and-seven-month-old male child and arrested Chiemerie Daniel Onwe as a suspect.

It was gathered that his arrest followed a report by the child’s mother, a trader at the Cattle Market in New Garriki, Awkunanaw, Enugu that her son had been stolen.

The suspect was found with the baby and was promptly arrested, while the child was rescued and reunited with her mother.

Similarly, in a transnational case on July 4, 2025, police operatives from the Emene Division of the command arrested one Mirabel Oluebube after a report that she trafficked a 14-year-old female victim to Ghana.

The police spokesman said the suspect confessed and helped the police to arrest her male accomplice, who was identified as Udenze Ifeanyi.

He said the victim was rescued and reunited with her family, adding that both suspects were arraigned and remanded in correctional custody.

The operatives working with Neighbourhood Watch also arrested one Chinenye Ozoagu, her mother, Ogochukwu Ozoagu and Chidinma Ukpai for allegedly running a child trafficking ring during the period under review.

Ndukwe said investigations showed that Chinenye gave birth on June 30, 2025, and sold the newborn for ₦1,400,000 in connivance with her mother and Chidinma, adding that the baby was rescued in Nsukka, but the buyer escaped.