Police Smash Child Trafficking Syndicate in Abia, Rescue Two Toddlers Lured with Donuts

UMUAHIA, NIGERIA — The Abia State Police Command has cracked down on an inter-state child trafficking syndicate, leading to the arrest of three female suspects and the successful rescue of two three-year-old children who had been stolen from Rivers State.

​The suspects, who reportedly operate a network spanning multiple states in the South-East and South-South regions, were intercepted following a coordinated intelligence-led operation by law enforcement and local security actors.

​The Arrest and Rescue Operation

​According to police authorities, the breakthrough occurred when operatives attached to the Akwete Divisional Police Headquarters, working in tandem with local community vigilantes, intercepted one of the suspects in Abia State.

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​The suspect, identified as 30-year-old Vera Imiobong Udoyang, a native of Etimekpo Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, was caught in possession of two toddlers—a male and a female.

​The children have since been identified as:

• ​Caleb Tamunoye Paul (Male, 3 years old)
• ​Joy David (Female, 3 years old)

​Both children had previously been reported missing from Okrika, Rivers State.

​Lured with Confectioneries

​Upon interrogation by detectives, Udoyang confessed to the crime, revealing a calculated plot to exploit the innocence of the toddlers. She admitted to residing in the Ozoaporo area of Okrika, Rivers State, where she targeted the children. Udoyang confessed that she successfully lured the two toddlers away from their familiar surroundings by offering them donuts and soft drinks before trafficking them across state lines into Abia.

​A Network of Intermediaries

​Preliminary investigations have exposed a complex web of intermediaries involved in the illicit trade of minors. Police sources state that Udoyang was not acting alone but was part of a supply chain triggered by a demand further up the criminal hierarchy.

​Udoyang confessed that she had been contacted by Chioma Duru Ukanwoke, 40, an indigene of Amaraku in the Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State.

​Further digging by detectives revealed that Ukanwoke was acting on the instructions of a third suspect, Ezinne Ukandu, 41, who hails from Obingwa Local Government Area in Abia State.

​How the Syndicate Operated:

According to police findings, Ukandu had allegedly been commissioned by a rogue welfare officer, also identified simply as “Chioma,” who commissioned the network to source a male child of approximately three years old, or alternatively, arrange an illegal adoption from a vulnerable family.

​Manhunt for Rogue Welfare Officer

​The three suspects—Vera Imiobong Udoyang, Chioma Duru Ukanwoke, and Ezinne Ukandu—remain in police custody and are facing rigorous interrogation. Meanwhile, a manhunt has been launched for the fleeing welfare officer, Chioma, who remains at large and is considered a key element in the trafficking ring.

​The Abia State Police Command confirmed that the two rescued toddlers have been safely reunited with their deeply relieved parents. The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Umuahia for a comprehensive investigation, after which the suspects will be formally charged to court.

​Law enforcement officials have urged parents and guardians to maintain strict vigilance over their children and to educate them on the dangers of accepting food, sweets, or gifts from strangers.