The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested three
women over their alleged involvement in a child trafficking syndicate and
recovered a newborn baby reportedly sold for ?145,000.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Timfon John, disclosed
this in a statement issued on Friday, May 15, 2026.
According to the police, the arrest followed a
complaint from a man identified as Sifon, who reported that his newborn son was
sold without his knowledge shortly after birth.
Preliminary investigation revealed that Sifon’s wife
gave birth to a baby boy on May 7, 2026. However, shortly after the delivery,
the suspects allegedly conspired and sold the child to a woman identified as
Eno Peter of Ikpe Atai Village for N145,000.
The suspects arrested by police are 19-year-old
Ekemini Godwin of Ikot Obioma Village, 26-year-old Endurance Sunday of Nkwot
Ikono Village, and 50-year-old Alice Emmanuel, also of Nkwot Ikono Village.
DSP John said police operatives, acting on credible
intelligence and working with relevant stakeholders, arrested the suspects on
May 13, 2026, at about 7:00 p.m.
The newborn baby was also successfully recovered.
“Upon receipt of the report, operatives immediately
swung into action, leading to the arrest of the suspects and the successful
recovery of the baby boy,” the statement read.
The police spokesperson added that the suspects
reportedly confessed to the crime during interrogation.
She said investigations have been expanded to identify
and arrest other individuals connected to the alleged trafficking syndicate and
a possible illegal child adoption network operating within and outside Akwa
Ibom State.
Reacting to the operation, the Commissioner of Police,
CP Baba Mohammed Azare, commended the officers involved for their
professionalism, vigilance, and tactical efficiency.
He said the command remains committed to
intelligence-led policing, stop-and-search operations, raids on criminal
hideouts, and coordinated enforcement actions to deny criminals safe haven in
the state.
The police commissioner also warned those involved in
child trafficking, cultism, armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms, drug
trafficking, and other violent crimes to desist or face the full weight of the
law.
CP Azare reassured residents that the command would
continue to protect lives and property across Akwa Ibom State.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and
provide timely, credible, and useful information to the police.
The command also emphasized that community partnership
remains vital in the fight against crime, assuring residents that all
information provided would be treated with strict confidentiality.
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