The Anambra State Police Command has dismantled a child trafficking syndicate operating in Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area, rescuing 33 underage girls from the premises.
According to a statement released on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the raid was part of an ongoing investigation into cases of kidnapping, abduction, missing children, and child trafficking.
Ikenga revealed that during the operation, three children abducted from Ebonyi State on September 26, 2025, were found and brought to safety. “Operatives of the Anambra State Police Command attached to the Rapid Response Squad Awkuzu on January 7, 2026, recorded a breakthrough in an ongoing investigation involving a case of kidnapping, abduction, missing children, and child trafficking,” the statement read.
A female suspect, Ifeoma Success Anthony, aged 37, was arrested during the raid, while the principal owner of the building, Mrs. Ngozi Nnanyelugo, 45, remains at large. Preliminary investigations revealed that the property was allegedly used for child trafficking and prostitution.
The rescued children included Divine Mbam, 14, Nwagu Favour, 15, and Oke Blessing, 18, who had been missing since September 2025. The police are working to apprehend other accomplices and fully uncover the scope of the syndicate’s activities.
The Anambra State Police Command reassured the public of its commitment to protecting vulnerable children and urged citizens to provide information to assist in ongoing investigations.
This follows a similar operation in October 2025, where police rescued a one-week-old baby and arrested four suspects in Ifite-Awkuzu in connection with child trafficking.
