Police Arrest Father, Three Others Over Attempt to Sell 16-Month-Old Daughter

The Abia State Police Command has arrested a man and three others over an alleged attempt to sell and traffic his 16-month-old biological daughter for financial gain.

The four suspects were arrested by operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Gender Unit, at a hotel in Obi, Obingwa Local Government Area, on September 7.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Wilfred Afolabi, disclosed this on Friday while briefing journalists on the command’s achievements since he assumed office on August 10.

Afolabi said the suspects had been transferred from the Central Police Station, Umuahia, in connection with alleged conspiracy and child trafficking.

He said preliminary investigations established that the child was the biological daughter of one of the suspects, while further findings indicated that the alleged attempt to traffic her was motivated by the desire to make money.

The rescued child has been placed in the custody of the Ministry of Women Affairs, while the four suspects remain in police custody as investigation continues.

The commissioner also said the command had recorded more than 152 criminal cases and arrested over 220 suspects since his assumption of office, with several cases already investigated and charged to court.

He said police had also rescued nine kidnapped victims, recovered 101 rounds of ammunition and cartridges, recovered six stolen vehicles, including tricycles and motorcycles, and dismantled two criminal networks during the period.

Among the command’s recent breakthroughs was the rescue of a medical doctor allegedly abducted by armed men on August 19.

Afolabi said vehicle-tracking technology and coordinated intelligence operations involving the Abia and Imo commands led to the recovery of the doctor’s vehicle and his rescue in the early hours of August 20.