The Ebonyi Police Command has apprehended a woman known for her involvement in the abduction and trafficking of children. In a commendable operation, they have successfully rescued at least six of the children.
The woman, Ngozi Blessing Abia,
also known as Mercy Francis, has carried out her nefarious activities in Lagos,
Ebonyi, Anambra and Edo.
Investigation into her
activities began in January 2024 when one Nkwuda Francis reported that the
woman, who posed as a member of the National Youth Service Corps, had kidnapped
his two young children.
DSP Joshua Ukandu, Spokesman of
the Command said in a statement on Tuesday in Abakaliki, that the children were
later found in Anambra, where she sold them.
“He complained that his
children were kidnapped from his house at Nwezenyi Igbeagu, Izzi local
government area of Ebonyi after the suspect rented a room in the compound.
“The children, aged 3 and 7,
were later found to have been taken by Ngozi Blessing-Abia, which was revealed
to be the suspect’s true identity.
“Following a diligent
investigation by officers attached to the gender unit of the command, the
suspect was located in Oba, Anambra, where the children were rescued and
returned to their family.”
Ukandu added that two women,
Lovina Iwuorah and Ndifereke Wisdom Clement, whose children were abducted in
Ohaozara, Ebonyi, had identified the suspect as the conspirator.
He said that she sold their
three children to an orphanage home in Benin, Edo.
“The proprietor of the
orphanage has been detained and is providing valuable information to the police,”
the command spokesman said.
“Additionally, one Chinasa
Uwezoke from Lagos, upon learning of the arrest, visited the command and
identified the suspect as someone, who had gained her trust and subsequently
took her three children to the market, only to flee with her 3-year-old son.”
The command spokesman said that
the boy was later recovered from where she sold him and had been reunited with
his family.
“The suspect’s modus operandi
is to rent an apartment, fraternise with her unsuspecting neighbours, gain
their trust and abduct their children for pecuniary gains,” he added.
Ukandu advised property owners
and caretakers to thoroughly screen potential tenants and for parents to
educate their children about safety and interaction with strangers.
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