The Anambra State Police Command has successfully dismantled a notorious child trafficking syndicate and rescued 11 minors during a coordinated operation carried out in the early hours of Wednesday.
Acting on credible intelligence, operatives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) stormed a compound in the Nkpor area of Idemili North Local Government Area, where the syndicate was discovered to be operating under the guise of an unregistered orphanage. The operation led to the arrest of five suspects, including the suspected kingpin and three accomplices believed to be responsible for sourcing and transporting the children.
According to the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, CP Aderemi Adeoye, preliminary investigations revealed that the children, aged between 6 months and 12 years, were allegedly trafficked from various parts of the South-East and South-South regions. Some of the rescued children were reportedly abducted from their homes, while others had been sold under deceptive pretenses.
“The safety and protection of our children remain a top priority. This operation underscores our commitment to dismantling human trafficking networks and bringing perpetrators to justice,” CP Adeoye stated during a press briefing.
The rescued children have since been handed over to the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare for proper care, rehabilitation, and eventual reunification with their families. Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing to trace the origins of the trafficked children and apprehend other members of the syndicate still at large.
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, commended the police for their swift action and reaffirmed the state’s zero-tolerance stance on human trafficking. He also called on communities to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to law enforcement agencies.