The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a woman on suspicion of child trafficking and rescued 16 children found in her care at an estate in Ozuoba, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State.
This followed concerns raised by local residents, who had observed the woman frequently returning home with different children, reportedly brought from churches and unknown locations. One resident, who pleaded anonymity, noted that they had been monitoring the woman’s activities due to the increasing number of children living with her.
According to the resident, “This woman has been involved in child trafficking, taking children from churches and various communities in Rivers State. On Saturday, some people confronted her and contacted the Ozuoba Police. The police arrived, arrested her, and took the children away.”
Another resident shared that the woman had been living in the compound for the past two years, during which she was often seen with many children. He revealed that the police indicated they were from Akwa Ibom State and had been investigating the woman as a child trafficking suspect.
“For two years, she has been living with almost 200 children, some coming and going. At night, we couldn’t sleep because of the noise. Finally, the police came and took her and the children away,” he added.
A viral video seen by reporters shows adults at the scene trying to gather the seemingly confused children, both boys and girls.
The video captures voices expressing concern for the children, with one person saying, “This woman is in trouble. Look at these children, some of them were just brought here.”
When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Superintendent Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, stating that 16 children were rescued from the estate based on intelligence.
“I can confirm that the children were rescued following a tip-off. The Ozuoba team acted on this information, and 16 children were found at the estate,” she said.
She also confirmed that the case has been transferred to the Commissioner of Police Monitoring Unit for further investigation.
Regarding the suspect, Iringe-Koko said, “One person has been arrested, but the investigation is ongoing to determine if there are other accomplices involved.”