The Police Command in Ebonyi State has addressed an online report alleging that a police officer’s wife was involved in an attempted child abduction in Amachi Amagu Community, Abakaliki Local Government Area.
This was disclosed in a statement issued in Abakaliki on Friday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu.
According to the statement, the incident took place on March 20 and involved a woman identified as Mrs Chioma Nwewu, the wife of a serving police inspector in the state.
She was reportedly accosted by residents after being seen moving around the community in a manner that raised suspicion, with some locals alleging she was linked to child theft.
The statement noted that she was assaulted and restrained by some community members during questioning before a distress call was made to the police, prompting officers to intervene and rescue her from possible mob action.
She was subsequently taken into custody at the Central Police Station in Abakaliki, while community members were invited to present evidence supporting their claims.
However, the police said none of the individuals who made the allegations were able to provide any proof during the investigation.
The Command added that officers also visited the community on multiple occasions, but no credible information linking her to any child abduction case was established.
Preliminary findings, according to the statement, indicated that the woman had been experiencing mental health challenges following a traumatic stillbirth, a condition supported by a medical report she presented during investigations.
The police also reviewed her financial records, which showed that her income had accumulated gradually over the years through her trading activities as a market woman since 2015, with no suspicious transactions detected.
The Command further confirmed that no evidence was found linking her to any child abduction incident in Ebonyi State.
The Police urged residents to avoid taking the law into their own hands and to always allow proper investigations to be carried out by relevant authorities before drawing conclusions.