Anambra Police Begin Profiling of 36 Rescued Children, Suspects in Crackdown on Child Labour

The Anambra State Police Command has intensified its campaign against child labour, street hawking, human trafficking, and other forms of child exploitation with the profiling of thirty six persons handed over by the State Ministry of Women Affairs.

The group, received by the Command on June 29, 2026, comprises twenty nine rescued children and young persons between the ages of six and forty four, alongside six suspects believed to be connected with their alleged exploitation. The suspects identified by the police are Anyingo Glory, Nwafor Godwin, Chukwudi Ofoke, Chinenye Anyingo, Okwudili Ifeoma, and Moses Anyingo, who were arrested in Nnewi.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the profiling exercise is aimed at establishing the identities of the rescued persons, determining the circumstances surrounding their involvement, and facilitating possible reunification with their families and states of origin where necessary. The exercise is being carried out in collaboration with relevant government agencies and child protection stakeholders while investigations continue.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to protecting children and other vulnerable persons from abuse and exploitation. He stressed that child labour and street hawking expose children to dangers such as human trafficking, abuse, neglect, and criminal activities, adding that anyone found culpable would face investigation and prosecution in accordance with the law.

The Police Command urged parents, guardians, and members of the public to desist from exposing children to hazardous labour or street hawking and encouraged residents to report cases of child abuse, trafficking, exploitation, or neglect through the nearest police station or the Command’s emergency channels. The Command also pledged to sustain its partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs and other stakeholders to strengthen child protection efforts across Anambra State.