Enugu Police Rescue Six Stolen and Trafficked Children, Arrest 10 Suspects in Multiple Operations

• Enugu State Police Command successfully rescued six children—both stolen and trafficked—in coordinated operations conducted between June 30 and July 16, 2025.

• Ten suspects involved in local and transnational child trafficking networks were arrested.

• Two trafficked children, Loveth Mfonobong (16) and Benjamin Alex Okon (12), were rescued in Ezeagu LGA; the suspects confessed to purchasing them for ₦900,000 and ₦1.4 million respectively.

• A one-year-and-seven-month-old male child was rescued and a 28-year-old suspect arrested in Awkunanaw Division.

• Another case involved the rescue of a 14-year-old girl trafficked to Ghana, with the arrest of her trafficker and accomplice.

• The police worked closely with Neighbourhood Watch members and operated across multiple divisions to dismantle the syndicates.

The Enugu State Police Command has made significant strides in combating child trafficking by rescuing six stolen and trafficked children from criminal networks operating both locally and across national borders. According to SP Daniel Ndukwe, the command’s spokesperson, these successes are the result of multiple coordinated operations over recent weeks.

On July 15, operatives from the Anti-Cultism Tactical Squad, in partnership with Neighbourhood Watch, arrested suspects Chiaha Josephine and Ozomma Christopher in Ezeagu LGA. They rescued Loveth Mfonobong and Benjamin Alex Okon, two children who had been forcibly renamed and trafficked. Josephine admitted to purchasing Loveth in 2021 for ₦900,000 and Benjamin in 2024 for ₦1.4 million.

Earlier operations included the rescue of an infant in the Awkunanaw Division on July 13 and the arrest of Chiemerie Daniel Onwe. Additionally, a transnational trafficking case led to the recovery of a 14-year-old girl trafficked to Ghana, with the arrest of Mirabel Oluebube and her accomplice.

These efforts demonstrate the command’s resolve to eradicate child trafficking, relying on community partnerships and intelligence-led policing to protect vulnerable children and bring perpetrators to justice. The rescued children have been reunited with their families, and suspects are in custody facing prosecution.