The Ondo State Police Command has announced the rescue of a four-year-old girl and the arrest of key members of a child-trafficking syndicate operating across Ondo, Delta, and Anambra States.
Police spokesperson, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka Olushola, in a statement on Thursday, said the operation followed months of discreet investigation after the girl, Jesinta Sunday, was reported missing on February 3, 2025, by her father, Sunday Kingsley, of Alagbaka Extension, Akure.
According to the statement, detectives traced the child to Asaba, Delta State, on July 9, 2025, after her father reported sighting her. The police Gender Desk Team swung into action, recovered the girl, and returned her safely to Akure.
The operation also led to the arrest of 30-year-old Amaka Chukwuemeka, who admitted buying the child for ₦3.7 million.
She revealed that her friend, 38-year-old Chinaza Owoh, linked her to 58-year-old Mabel Esimai, who handed over the girl under the guise of adoption with forged documents.
Further investigation uncovered that Esimai had received the child from 37-year-old Chioma Okechukwu, who instructed her to find a buyer.
This chain of revelations exposed the existence of a well-structured trafficking network operating across multiple states.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, commended the Gender Desk Team for their swift response and professionalism, assuring the public that all suspects would be prosecuted and other accomplices tracked down.
“Ondo State cannot and will not be a safe haven for child traffickers or any criminal syndicate,” the statement quoted Lawal as saying.
The Command urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue to support the police in tackling crime across the state.