Six Months in Captivity: Police Rescue Abducted 11-Year-Old Ebonyi Girl in Anambra
From Nabob Ogbonna, Abakaliki
The Nigeria Police Force, Ebonyi State Command, has rescued an 11-year-old girl, identified as Chinecherem Ngwe, six months after she was allegedly abducted by a child trafficking syndicate.
The rescue was disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday by the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Joshua Ukandu, and made available to journalists in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
Ukandu said operatives of the Ebonyi State Police Command rescued the girl from a woman, Mrs Nneka Ibekwe, at Nkpor, Onitsha, Anambra State.
According to him, the rescue followed months of sustained and discreet investigations into the abduction of the girl in May 2026 by a child trafficking syndicate previously uncovered by the command.
He said, “On October 6, 2026, following months of sustained and discreet investigation, operatives of the command traced and located one Mrs Nneka Ibekwe at Nkpor, Onitsha, Anambra State.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that she allegedly purchased the child, Chinecherem Ngwe, from the syndicate in June 2026.
“During interrogation, Mrs Ibekwe stated that she approached Mrs Benedicta Umeh, also known as Nwanyi-Okigwe, after learning that she operated an orphanage and allegedly worked with officials at a welfare office to facilitate child adoptions.
“She claimed to have expressed her desire to adopt a child, following which she was asked to provide a consent letter from her church and a medical certificate of fitness as evidence of her suitability to adopt.
“She further alleged that she paid about ₦4 million to Nwanyi-Okigwe before the child was handed over to her. These claims remain subject to further investigation.”
The police spokesperson added that the rescued girl was safe, while efforts were ongoing to reunite her with her family.
The Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command, CP Hope Urunwa Okafor, commended the officers for their diligence and doggedness throughout the investigation.
She assured the public that anyone found culpable in the case would be made to face the law.
The police commissioner also cautioned prospective adoptive parents against bypassing established procedures in their quest to adopt children.
She urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities involving children to the nearest police station.
