Police Rescue 16 Month Old Girl, Arrest Father, Three Others Over Alleged Sale

The Abia State Police Command has rescued a 16 month old girl and arrested her biological father and three others over an alleged attempt to sell and traffic the child for financial gain.

The four suspects were arrested by operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Gender Unit, at a hotel in Obi, Obingwa Local Government Area, on September 7, 2026.

Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, said preliminary investigation established that the child was the biological daughter of one of the suspects. He said further investigation indicated that the alleged trafficking attempt was motivated by the desire to make money.

The rescued child has been placed in the custody of the Ministry of Women Affairs, while the four suspects remain in police custody as investigation continues.

The police commissioner said the arrests formed part of the command’s recent operations, which he said have resulted in more than 152 criminal cases, over 220 arrests, the rescue of nine kidnapped victims and the recovery of 101 rounds of ammunition and cartridges.