The Anambra State Police Command has rescued a six-year-old child allegedly stolen and trafficked to Ondo State, officials said. The operation, carried out by the Gender Unit following intelligence-based investigations, led to the recovery of the child from an alleged foster parent.
Police Public Relations Officer SP Tochukwu Ikenga said the rescued child has been reunited with his biological mother, while all suspects have been charged in the Children, Sexual, and Gender-Based Violence Court for prosecution.
In a separate incident, on August 13, 2025, the Rapid Response Squad in Awkuzu responded to a distress call from Ebenebe Community, Awka North Local Government Area, involving the defilement of an 11-year-old girl. An 18-year-old man, Uchenna Nweke, was arrested for allegedly forcing his way into the victim’s bathroom and having unlawful sexual relations with her. Medical reports confirmed the suspect’s culpability, and the case is set to be charged in court on August 20, 2025. 
The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to protecting children and other vulnerable groups, stressing that perpetrators of such heinous crimes will face the full weight of the law.
These incidents highlight growing concerns over child trafficking and sexual violence in Anambra State. Recent months have seen multiple cases, including the arrest of a man in Onitsha for allegedly defiling his 10-year-old stepdaughter in July, and the rescue of two toddlers from a suspected trafficking syndicate in Nkpor in June. In April, a baby stolen from a maternity ward in Nnewi was recovered in Imo State after weeks of investigation.
Additionally, sexual abuse cases continue to rise. In May, a schoolteacher in Aguata was arraigned for allegedly molesting two pupils. Civil society groups have urged security agencies to strengthen community surveillance and dismantle trafficking syndicates to protect children.
