Seven arrested for stealing five-year-old in Imo

A seven-man child-stealing syndicate have been arrested by the Imo State Police Command for reportedly abducting a five-year-old child, Godday Obi.

The arrested suspects were identified as 39-year-old Nkechi Iroegbu, Chukwudi Ndukwe and Edu Akpan of No.102 Elelenwo street Port Harcourt; Chinwendu Uzonwu, 39, of Oba in Anambra state; Chinyeaka Gregory, 50, of number 11 Boundary Road Umungasi Aba, Abia State; Chidinma Ekwundu, 49, from Awka in Anambra state and Eucharia Onwuduba, 46, of number 31 Aniekwe street, Fegge Onitsha, Anambra state.

Confirming the arrest, Imo State’s Police Spokesperson Orlando Ikeokwu said the suspects were busted through a coordinated operation based on a credible intelligence.

He further disclosed that Nkechi Iroegbu led operatives of the Anti-kidnapping Unit of the command to the hideout where other members of the syndicate were arrested.

Ikeokwu said; 

“On January 12, the command received a report of a stolen child, one Godday Obi, 5 years old, at Umuejechi, Nekede, Owerri West LGA of Imo state.

“Acting on that report, the command’s Anti- kidnapping unit swung into action and upon credible information, arrested one Nkechi Iroegbu, 39, a native of Akoli Imenyi, Bende LGA, Abia state. She confessed to the crime. 

“They all confessed to their various roles and led the operatives to the recovery of the stolen child”

He also revealed that the Commissioner of Police, Olaniyi Fafowaro directed the investigating team to prosecute the suspects at the end of the investigation process.