By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Ebonyi State Police Command has confirmed the alleged theft of three children belonging to two separate mothers at Nkwagu Village, opposite the Nkwagu Military Cantonment, in Abakaliki Local Government Area of the state.

The incident was reportedly carried out by three yet-to-be-identified middle-aged women.

Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Joshua Ukandu, said the children were taken from their residence at Nkwagu Village by the women, who had visited the compound on February 6, 2026.

According to SP Ukandu, the matter has been formally reported by the parents at the Central Police Station (CPS), Abakaliki, and investigations are ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident and apprehend the suspects.

He added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Adaku Uche-Anya, had earlier directed members of the Landlords’ Association in Abakaliki to always verify the identities of prospective tenants and ensure the provision of credible guarantors before renting out houses.

It was gathered that the incident, which occurred at about 7:30 a.m. on February 7, 2026, threw the community into panic, drawing sympathisers as residents gathered in clusters to discuss the disturbing development.

Some residents who spoke to journalists described the incident as heartbreaking and expressed concern over what they described as the rising cases of child theft in Ebonyi State.

They called on the state government and relevant authorities to intensify public enlightenment, particularly for parents and caregivers, on the dangers of allowing children to associate freely with strangers.

Narrating her ordeal, one of the victims, Mrs. Happiness Ofunna Gladys, said the suspects had arrived at the compound the previous night, held discussions with the landlord, and were allowed to spend the night in one of the vacant rooms.

“I went to the market early that morning to buy goods for my business,” she said.

“While at the market, I received a distress call that my two children had been stolen. I immediately rushed back home and met people gathered, discussing what had happened.

“From what my neighbours told me, the same three women who spent the night in our compound were responsible. They took my two children, a boy and a girl, both between one and two years old. I am still shocked that people could come into a neighbourhood solely to steal children without arousing suspicion.”

She appealed to security agencies to ensure the suspects are arrested and brought to justice to deter others.

Another victim, Mrs. Nworie Oluchi, said she first noticed the women on the evening of February 6, when she returned from the market to prepare dinner.

“I saw the women sitting outside the compound with our landlord, discussing. I went inside and started cooking without suspecting anything,” she explained.

She said trouble began the following morning while she was washing clothes and went to look for her two-year-old son to administer his medication.

“When I couldn’t find him, I asked his siblings, and they told me that one of the women had sent him to buy biscuits for the other children,” she said.

“I rushed to ask the women about my son, and one of them claimed they sent him to buy biscuits and even offered to help bring him back.

“I went inside briefly to change my clothes, and before I came out, the children raised an alarm that the women had entered a tricycle and sped off with the three children.”

She said efforts to raise an alarm came too late, as the suspects had already escaped.

Meanwhile, attempts to speak with the landlord of the compound were unsuccessful, as he is currently being detained at the Central Police Station, Abakaliki, in connection with the incident.

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