By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Police operatives attached to the Awada Divisional Headquarters, Onitsha, Anambra State, over the weekend arrested three female suspects alleged to be involved in child trafficking at the Onitsha Motor Park.

The suspects include, Florence Nnakuzie, 45; Hannah Ugah, 52; and Chinasa Daniel, 27.

According to a statement issued by the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the arrest marked another major breakthrough in the sustained efforts of the police to combat child trafficking in the state.

He said that preliminary investigations revealed that Chinasa Daniel allegedly brought two children, a two-week-old baby and a four-year-old child on separate occasions between June and December 2025 and handed them over to Hannah Ugah.

Ikenga revealed that the four-year-old child was later handed over to Florence Nnakuzie, who allegedly sold the child for the sum of two million naira (?2,000,000), while he two-week-old baby, was allegedly sold to another woman who is currently at large.

Reacting to the incident, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, described child trafficking as a grave violation of human rights and a crime against humanity.

To this end, he directed the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Awka, for a comprehensive and discreet investigation.

The statement added: “The Commissioner has also ordered operatives to intensify efforts towards identifying and apprehending every member of the alleged trafficking syndicate, while commencing coordinated operations to locate, rescue, and reunite the trafficked children with their biological families.”

Ikenga added that the Command appreciates members of the public whose timely and credible information contributed to the successful operation and urged residents to continue supporting the police by providing useful intelligence that would assist in preventing and combating crime in the state.