By Sabiu Abdullahi
The Abia State Police Command has arrested four suspects over the alleged theft and sale of a four-day-old baby whose mother is mentally challenged.
The suspects were taken into custody on September 16, 2026, after operatives of the Violent Crimes Response Unit and Rapid Response Unit, Obehie, received what the police described as “credible and actionable intelligence.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Maureen Chinaka, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
Chinaka named the suspects as Gladys Nathaniel, 48; Victor Udochukwu, 47; Chijioke Obunwa, 59; and Onyeonoro Chinwe, 43.
She said police investigations indicated that the suspects allegedly conspired to take the newborn from its mother and later sold the child to another person.
“The suspects allegedly conspired to steal a four-day-old baby from her mentally unstable mother and subsequently sold the infant to another person,” the statement read.
According to the PPRO, the police rescued both the baby and its mother after the suspects were apprehended.
She said the mother was released into the care of her family, while the baby was placed under the protection of the Ministry of Women Affairs.
“The baby and mother were rescued. The mother has been released to her family for proper care and medical attention, while the infant has been handed over to the Ministry of Women Affairs for protective custody,” she stated.
The four suspects remain in police custody as the investigation continues at the State Criminal Investigation Department.
Chinaka said the suspects would be charged before a court after investigators conclude their inquiry.
The Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, said the command would continue to protect vulnerable persons and ensure that suspects responsible for such offences are brought to justice.
The development comes against the backdrop of other recent cases involving alleged child trafficking and illegal maternity facilities.
In August, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons sealed a residential apartment in Elelenwo, Port Harcourt, after it was suspected to have been converted into an illegal maternity facility by a suspected child-trafficking syndicate.
NAPTIP also arrested the facility’s owner, whom it identified as a facilitator in the alleged sale of babies, alongside another staff member.
