Abia police arrest father, three others over alleged plan to sell toddler

Police in Abia State have arrested a man and three other suspects over an alleged attempt to sell and traffic his 16-month-old daughter.

The 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, 2026.

The state Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, said the case involved alleged conspiracy and child trafficking. He said early findings showed that the child was the biological daughter of one of the suspects and that money was the motive behind the alleged plan.

The child has been rescued and placed in safe custody while police continue the investigation. The command said the suspects were transferred from the Central Police Station in Umuahia for further handling by the gender unit.

Afolabi said the command would keep pursuing cases involving vulnerable children and trafficking networks in the state.

Sources: Punch, Vanguard