Man Arrested While Allegedly Trying to Sell His 16-Month-Old Daughter in Abia Hotel

The Abia State Police Command has arrested a man and three accomplices over an alleged attempt to sell and traffic his 16-month-old biological daughter for financial gain.

The suspects were reportedly arrested on September 7, 2026, by operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Gender Unit, at a hotel in Obi, Obingwa Local Government Area of the state.

The Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, disclosed this on Friday while briefing journalists on the achievements of the command since he assumed office on August 10.

Afolabi said the four suspects had been transferred from the Central Police Station, Umuahia, to the SCID in connection with allegations of conspiracy and child trafficking.

According to the commissioner, preliminary investigations established that the child was the biological daughter of one of the suspects.

He added that findings so far indicated that the alleged attempt to traffic the child was driven by the desire to make money.

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The child was rescued and handed over to the Ministry of Women Affairs for protection, while the four suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue.

The commissioner also disclosed that the command had recorded more than 152 criminal cases and arrested over 220 suspects since he assumed office.

He said several of the cases had been investigated, with suspects already charged to court.

According to him, the command also rescued nine kidnapped victims, recovered 101 rounds of ammunition and cartridges, recovered six stolen vehicles, including tricycles and motorcycles, and dismantled two criminal networks within the period under review.

Among the command’s major breakthroughs was the rescue of a medical doctor who was allegedly abducted by armed men on August 19.

Afolabi said the victim was forced into his vehicle before the abductors fled towards Imo State.

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He explained that vehicle-tracking technology, combined with coordinated intelligence operations by the Abia and Imo State police commands, led to the recovery of the vehicle and the rescue of the victim in the early hours of August 20.

Several individuals allegedly connected to the incident, including those suspected of assisting with the movement or distribution of ransom money, have been arrested, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the alleged criminal network.

In another operation, police arrested a suspect allegedly linked to an armed robbery and kidnapping incident along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway in Aba.

The suspect was reportedly arrested after a female victim was robbed of her Toyota Highlander, mobile phones, handbag and other personal belongings.