The Rivers State Police Command has taken down a child trafficking syndicate, arresting two female suspects and rescuing two children in the Chokocho area of Etche Local Government Area.
The command Spokesman, Grace Iringe-Koko, noted it in a statement issued this Wednesday, saying that the suspects operated in collaboration with a local vigilante group, the Onelga Security Planning and Advisory Committee (OSPAC).
According to Iringe-Koko, the suspects were caught at a checkpoint in Chokocho, where investigations showed their links to OSPAC members, who allegedly aided the crime.
Iringe-Koko said, “During interrogation, the suspects confessed to their involvement. Efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend other syndicate members, including the implicated OSPAC operatives”.
She added that the rescued children have been reunited with their families while investigations continue.
The suspects, Ugochukwu Onyebuchi and Ogechi Nmezi, were accused of defrauding two women, Juliet Blossom and Esther Michael, under the pretense of facilitating baby adoptions.
The statement read, “On January 24, 2025, operatives of the Rivers State Police Command arrested two suspects, Ugochukwu Onyebuchi and Ogechi Nmezi, for allegedly conspiring to defraud two women under the guise of arranging child adoptions.
“The suspects had previously lured two mothers—Gift Chimanu, whose two-month-old baby girl, Evidence Olomachukwu Chimanu, was taken, and Hope Onyebuchi, whose one-year-old son, Chukwuemeka Kingsley, was also involved—into their scheme.”
“The Rivers State Police Command remains committed to protecting vulnerable individuals and eradicating child trafficking in the state,” the statement added.