FOUR ARRESTED FOR STEALING NEWBORN FROM MENTALLY ILL WOMAN

The Abia State Police Command has arrested four suspects for allegedly stealing a four-day-old baby from its mother, who is mentally challenged, and selling the infant to another person.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Maureen Chinaka, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday.

The suspects were identified as Gladys Nathaniel, 48; Victor Udochukwu, 47; Chijioke Obunwa, 59; and Onyeonoro Chinwe, 43.

According to Chinaka, operatives of the Violent Crimes Response Unit and Rapid Response Unit, Obehie, arrested the suspects on September 16, 2026, following what she described as credible and actionable intelligence.

She said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects allegedly conspired to take the four-day-old baby from its mentally unstable mother and subsequently sold the child to another person.

Chinaka said the arrests followed investigations by the police operatives, who also rescued the baby and its mother.

“The baby and mother were rescued. The mother has been released to her family for proper care and medical attention, while the infant has been handed over to the Ministry of Women Affairs for protective custody,” she stated.

The police spokesperson said the suspects remained in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department as investigations continued.

She added that the suspects would be charged to court after the conclusion of the investigation.

Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting vulnerable people and ensuring that those responsible for such crimes face the law.

The latest development comes amid wider concerns over child trafficking and the illegal sale of babies in parts of the country.

In August, PUNCH Metro reported that the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons sealed a residential apartment in Elelenwo, Port Harcourt, suspected of being used as an illegal maternity facility by a child-trafficking syndicate.

The agency also arrested the owner of the facility, whom it identified as an alleged facilitator in the sale of babies, along with another staff member