A four-day-old baby has been rescued by the Abia State Police Command after she was allegedly stolen from her mentally unstable mother and sold to another person.
The newborn and her mother were rescued following the arrest of four suspects accused of conspiring to steal and traffic the baby in Abia State.
The suspects are Gladys Nathaniel, 48; Victor Udochukwu, 47; Chijioke Obunwa, 59; and Onyeonoro Chinwe, 43.
The suspects were arrested on September 16, 2026, by operatives of the Violent Crimes Response Unit and Rapid Response Unit, Obehie, following what the police described as credible and actionable intelligence.
According to the Abia State Police Command, the suspects allegedly targeted the vulnerable mother and took away her newborn baby before selling the infant to another person.
The police said diligent investigation by its operatives led to the arrest of the four suspects and the recovery of the baby.
The mother, whose condition was described by the police as mentally unstable, has since been reunited with her family for proper care and medical attention.
The newborn, however, has been placed under protective custody after being handed over to the Ministry of Women Affairs.
The four suspects remain in police custody while investigators at the State Criminal Investigation Department continue probing the circumstances surrounding the alleged child theft and trafficking.
They are expected to be charged to court after the completion of the investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, Abia State Command, CP Wilfred Olutokunbo Afolabi, said the command would continue to protect vulnerable persons and ensure that those responsible for such offences face justice.
