Anambra Police Smash Child Trafficking Ring, Rescue 33 Girls

Logo of Anambra State Police Command

The Anambra State Police Command on Wednesday busted a child trafficking syndicate, arrested one suspect, and rescued 33 underage girls in Aguleri, Anambra West Local Government Area of the state.
The operation was carried out by operatives of the Anambra State Police Command attached to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu.
In a statement issued by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Ikenga Tochukwu, the breakthrough was recorded during an ongoing investigation into cases of kidnapping, abduction, missing children, and child trafficking.
According to him, the operatives arrested a female suspect identified as Ifeoma Success Anthony, aged 37, and rescued thirty-three (33) underage girls from a house located in Awkuzu.
Ikenga stated that the operation followed a distress report received through the Police Command Control Room from relatives of three victims , Divine Mbam (female, 14 years), Nwagu Favour (female, 15 years), and Oke Blessing (female, 18 years).
The victims were reportedly abducted on 26 September 2025 in Ebonyi State and taken to an unknown location. They were later sighted at Emma Pigin Road, Aguleri.
Preliminary investigations, according to the police spokesperson, revealed that the building where the girls were recovered is allegedly used for child trafficking and prostitution. The property is said to be owned by one Mrs. Ngozi Nnanyelugo (female), aged 45, who is currently at large.
He added that efforts are ongoing to arrest the principal suspect, while investigations continue to determine the full extent of the crime and identify other accomplices.
The spokesperson assured that further developments would be communicated to the public as investigations progress.
Ikenga reiterated the Anambra State Police Command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, especially vulnerable children, and urged members of the public to continue providing credible information to assist ongoing investigations