Officers from the Oba Division of the Anambra State Police Command have arrested a 63-year-old woman, Ngozi Muotuanya, from Awkuzu-Oba, who is suspected to be a major figure in a widespread inter-state child trafficking syndicate.

The arrest, which took place on August 11, followed actionable intelligence linking Muotuanya to the 2024 disappearance and illegal sale of a male toddler in Minna, Niger State.

In a statement to the press, Police Public Relations Officer SP Tochukwu Ikenga revealed that the child was initially sold to an unsuspecting buyer in Anambra before being resold to another party.

According to Ikenga, the case began to unravel on August 4, 2025, when the final recipient—realizing the child had likely been trafficked—returned the toddler to Muotuanya. The suspect reportedly then abandoned the child at an unidentified church in Minna. The toddler was later rescued by the leader of the local Igbo community.

“The Anambra State Police Command has since forwarded the details of the child’s current guardian in Minna to the Niger State Police Command to facilitate the child’s recovery and reunification with his biological parents,” Ikenga stated.

He added that the suspect will be handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Awka for thorough investigation and prosecution.

Meanwhile, the Command emphasized that investigations are ongoing to uncover and arrest other individuals linked to the trafficking ring.