Imo police nab two female child traffickers who steal and sell children for ritual purposes

The Imo State Police Command has arrested two women for child trafficking in Umuguma, Owerri-west Local Government Area of the state and rescued seven stolen children.

The child traffickers, Chinyere, 48, and Glory Okon, were said to have been running a baby factory under the guise of a motherless baby home in Umuguma,

Spokesperson of the command, ASP Henry Okoye, who disclosed this at a press briefing on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, said some of the stolen children have been reunited with their parents.

On interrogation, the suspects confessed to being members of a criminal syndicate that specialised in stealing children from unsuspecting parents in Akwa Ibom and other parts of the country.

The suspects further said that the children are sold to buyers who either use them for child labour or ritual purposes.

Their confession led the police operatives to the baby factory, where seven stolen children and four pregnant teenage girls were rescued

"Some of the children have been reunited with their parents, while other victims are currently in a Government approved home for care and custody,” the PPRO added.