BREAKING: Police AIG Directs Ebonyi Women Affairs Commissioner To Produce Baby Allegedly Trafficked, Sold For N25Million By Police Officers

The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Felicia Nwankpuma, has reportedly been ordered to produce the baby boy born to Miss Susannah Nwanneka Nweze of Umuobuna Etiti Uburu, who was allegedly trafficked and sold for N25 million by some police officers within the Ebonyi State Command of the Nigeria Police Force.

Senior police officials told SaharaReporters on Tuesday that the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Enugu, AIG Chukwudi Chris Ariekpere, who is currently overseeing the investigation, directed the commissioner to present the baby boy on Tuesday, August 19, during one of the routine investigative visits.

"This matter has taken several dimensions. It was during the investigation by AIG's team that we got to know that even the Assistant Commissioner of Police was involved in the alleged child trafficking,” one of the sources said.

“An ACP was reported to have written to the Ministry of Women Affairs requesting authorisation for the alleged sale of the baby to an unknown person.”

The source added, "So, during the last proceeding at the AIG's office, the Head of Department, Child Development in the Ministry of Women Affairs, told the investigating police team that the trafficked child is with the Commissioner for Women Affairs.

“This development prompted the AIG to direct the commissioner to bring the baby alongside while coming to the FCID Annex today (Tuesday).

"It is expected that the women's affairs commissioner will bring the baby with her as directed by the AIG."

SaharaReporters reported on August 1 that three police officers attached to the Ebonyi State Command are currently under interrogation at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex in Enugu over their alleged involvement in child abduction and trafficking.

The case centres on Susannah Nwanneka Nweze, whose newborn baby boy was reportedly sold for N25 million by police officers.

The officers accused of being involved include the officer in charge of the Juvenile and Women Centre (JWC), SP Loveth Uche, W/Insp. Maureen Otum, and Inspector Valentine Akam.

Earlier, on July 31, SaharaReporters reported that the Nigeria Police Force had summoned Mr. Nkwuda Emmanuel, Head of Department, Child Development at the Ebonyi State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, and Mrs. Nneka Akam, Officer-in-Charge, Legal, Ebonyi State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), for questioning over their alleged conspiracy in the abduction, trafficking, and unlawful detention of the child.

The case began on July 1 when the family of Mr. Nweze Philip Obasi of Umuobuna Etiti Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area filed a petition against four officers of the Nigeria Police Force and NSCDC in Ebonyi State.

The petition accused the officers of conspiracy, abduction, child trafficking, unlawful arrest, and other related crimes.

According to the petition, SP Loveth Uche and two inspectors under her allegedly conspired to sell the baby boy born to Susannah Nwanneka Nweze for N25 million. The family claimed that Nwanneka was abducted and taken to a police clinic where she gave birth, and that the baby was sold without their consent.

The family also alleged that NSCDC personnel arrested and detained Nwanneka for several weeks, during which the Officer-in-Charge of Legal allegedly altered her extrajudicial statement.

Following multiple reports by SaharaReporters, the NSCDC handed the case over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), citing its legal authority to investigate and prosecute such matters.

The FCID Annex in Enugu subsequently took over the investigation, summoning all implicated officers for interrogation to determine their individual roles in the crimes, which have severely tarnished the image of the Nigerian Police Force.