The Abia State Police Command has arrested a father and three other suspects over an alleged plot to sell his 16-month-old biological daughter in what investigators described as a money-driven child trafficking scheme. Commissioner of Police Wilfred Afolabi disclosed the arrest on Friday, September 12, 2026, during a briefing on the command's achievements since he assumed office on August 10.
Arrest at Obingwa Hotel and Transfer to SCID
Operatives from the State Criminal Investigation Department's Gender Unit apprehended the four suspects on September 7, 2026, at a hotel in Obi, within the Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State. The suspects were initially held at the Central Police Station in Umuahia before being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
Afolabi confirmed that preliminary investigation established the child was the biological daughter of one of the suspects, and that the motive behind the alleged trafficking attempt was financial gain. The infant has since been taken into the care of the Ministry of Women Affairs, while all four suspects remain in police custody as the investigation continues.
Over 220 Arrests and 9 Kidnap Victims Rescued Since August
Beyond the child trafficking case, Afolabi used the briefing to highlight a broader range of security operations carried out under his watch. He said the command had recorded more than 152 criminal cases and arrested over 220 suspects since his assumption of office, with many of those cases already investigated and charged to court.
Other recorded achievements include the rescue of nine kidnapped victims, the recovery of 101 rounds of ammunition and cartridges, the retrieval of six stolen vehicles including tricycles and motorcycles, and the dismantling of two criminal networks.
Doctor Rescued After Abduction and Cross-State Chase
Among the notable rescue operations was that of a medical doctor abducted by armed men on August 19. Afolabi said the victim was forced into his own vehicle before his abductors headed towards Imo State. Vehicle-tracking technology and coordinated intelligence work between the Abia and Imo State police commands led to the recovery of the vehicle and the rescue of the doctor in the early hours of August 20.
Several people suspected of involvement, including those allegedly linked to the movement of ransom funds, have been arrested, while the search for other members of the network continues. The command also arrested a suspect connected to an armed robbery and kidnapping along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway in Aba, where a female victim was allegedly robbed of a Toyota Highlander, mobile phones, a handbag, and other personal belongings.
Previous Case of Woman Selling 19-Year-Old Daughter
Previously, Legit.ng reported that operatives from the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force arrested a woman and an accomplice for allegedly trafficking young girls, including her 19-year-old daughter, to Mauritania for commercial sex work. The suspects were arrested in Lagos State on March 22, 2024.
