…“The Anambra operation led to the arrest of a female suspect, Ifeoma Success Anthony, aged 37, and the rescue of 33 underage girls from a house in Awkuzu.
ANAMBRA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | The Anambra State Police Command has successfully dismantled a child trafficking syndicate operating from a compound in Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area, rescuing at least 33 underage girls.
The operation came after an ongoing investigation into cases of kidnapping, abduction, missing children, and child trafficking.
This was disclosed on Wednesday in a press statement by the Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra state, SP Tochukwu Ikenga.
According to Ikenga, the raid also led to the rescue of three children who had been abducted in Ebonyi State on September 26, 2025, and taken to an unknown location.
He stated that operatives from the Anambra State Police Command attached to the Rapid Response Squad in Awkuzu conducted the raid on Wednesday, arresting one suspect in the process.
The statement partly read:
“On January 7, 2026, operatives of the Anambra State Police Command attached to the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, achieved a breakthrough in an ongoing investigation involving cases of kidnapping, abduction, missing children, and child trafficking.
“The Anambra operation led to the arrest of a female suspect, Ifeoma Success Anthony, aged 37, and the rescue of 33 underage girls from a house in Awkuzu.
“This followed a distress report received via the Police Command Control Room from relatives of three children namely, Divine Mbam (14), Nwagu Favour (15), and Oke Blessing (18) who had been abducted in Ebonyi State on September 26, 2025, and were later spotted at Emma Pigin Road, Aguleri.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the building where the girls were held is allegedly being used for child trafficking and prostitution. The property belongs to Mrs. Ngozi Nnanyelugo, aged 45, who is currently at large.
“Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the principal suspect, and investigations continue to determine the full scope of the syndicate and identify other accomplices. Further updates will be provided in due course.”
Ikenga emphasized the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, particularly those of vulnerable children, and called on members of the public to continue providing credible information to support ongoing investigations.
It was reported on October 29, 2025, that the Anambra State Police Command rescued a newborn baby following the arrest of four suspects linked to child trafficking in Ifite-Awkuzu, also in Oyi Local Government Area.
At the time, Ikenga said operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, acting on credible intelligence, arrested four female suspects in the early hours of the day and rescued a one-week-old baby girl in connection with conspiracy and child trafficking.
