Three police officers from the Ebonyi State Command are under investigation by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex in Enugu for their alleged roles in a child abduction and trafficking case involving a newborn boy sold for N25 million. The officers include SP Loveth Uche, who oversees the Juvenile and Women Centre (JWC), along with W/Insp. Maureen Otum and Inspector Valentine Akam.
The incident centers around Susannah Nwanneka Nweze, who reportedly gave birth to a son at a police clinic. The baby was allegedly sold without the family’s consent, and the officers are accused of conspiring to facilitate the sale. The case has attracted significant attention, with the family of Nwanneka filing a petition accusing the officers of abduction, child trafficking, unlawful detention, and other related offenses.
In response to the allegations, the Nigeria Police Force invited key individuals for questioning, including Nkwuda Emmanuel, Head of Child Development at the Ebonyi State Ministry of Women Affairs, and Mrs. Nneka Akam, the Officer-in-Charge of the Legal Department at the Ebonyi State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), who are suspected of collaborating in the trafficking and illegal detention.
The petition, submitted to the Assistant Inspector General of Police at FCID Annex, Enugu, claims that Uche and her subordinates played a direct role in selling the baby. The family alleges that after Susannah was abducted and taken to the police clinic, she was coerced into giving birth there. The baby was later sold for N25 million, and Nwanneka was reportedly arrested and detained by the NSCDC for several weeks. Furthermore, the legal officer is accused of altering her statements during detention.
Following media reports, the NSCDC handed over the case to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), which is authorized to investigate and prosecute trafficking crimes. However, the investigation by the FCID continues, and the three police officers are expected to face interrogation in Enugu to determine their involvement in the crime.