The Imo State Police Command has arrested two women accused of attempting to sell a four-year-old boy who was kidnapped in Abuja and brought to Owerri, the Imo State capital.
The suspects were apprehended while negotiating to sell the boy for ₦2.7 million.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye, the operation was carried out by the Scorpion Unit following credible intelligence.
The two women, identified as Joy Ugwu from Idah in Kogi State and Rosella Michael from Zamba in the Federal Capital Territory, were arrested in Owerri on April 14, 2025, at around 6:00 p.m.
“The Imo State Police Command has uncovered a suspected case of child trafficking. Acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Scorpion Unit intercepted the suspects in Owerri while they were attempting to sell the boy,” Okoye stated.
Investigations revealed that the child, Jaffa Umar, who speaks Hausa fluently, was abducted in Abuja while hawking vegetables. A third suspect, believed to be a nurse, is currently on the run.
DSP Okoye noted that the child has been reunited with his family through the collaborative efforts of the Imo State Command and Zone 7 Police Headquarters in Abuja.
“The suspects have been transferred to the Zonal Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja for further investigation and prosecution,” he said.
Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, assured residents of the command’s commitment to protecting vulnerable persons and eradicating trafficking networks. “We urge members of the public to report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station or contact the emergency line,” he said.
The police have launched a manhunt for the third suspect and continue to investigate the network involved in the attempted sale of the minor.
