The Abia State Police Command has arrested three female suspects over alleged child stealing and successfully rescued two children in a coordinated operation carried out in the Akwete Divisional Headquarters area in the state.
According to a statement released on Sunday by the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Maureen Chioma Chinaka, the suspects were apprehended following actionable intelligence and collaboration with community vigilantes on May 10, 2026.
Operatives of Akwete Divisional Police Headquarters, in collaboration with community vigilantes, apprehended one Vera Imiobong Udoyang, who was found with the children. Upon interrogation, she confessed to stealing the children after luring them with donuts and soft drinks at Ozoaporo in Okrika, Rivers State, where she resides.
The arrested suspects are identified as Vera Imiobong Udoyang, 30; Chioma Duru Ukanwoke, 40; and Ezinne Ukandu, 41, all females from Akwa Ibom, Imo, and Abia States respectively.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Udoyang was allegedly recruited through a chain of contacts involving the other two suspects, with claims that an unidentified welfare officer simply known as “Chioma,” who is currently at large, coordinated efforts to source male children for possible illegal adoption.
The three suspects are in police custody, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect. The rescued children have been safely reunited with their parents, and investigation is ongoing at the State Criminal Investigation Department.
The Commissioner of Police urged parents and guardians to be vigilant and ensure the safety of children, warning them against accepting gifts or following strangers. He also advised members of the public to report suspicious individuals seen with children to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency hotlines.
