Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have arrested a woman, Christiana Ibanga, and her boyfriend, Inyene Akpan, for allegedly trafficking their own child and selling the infant for ₦450,000.
Report gathered by YEPS News indicates that the suspects were apprehended after a tip-off led to an investigation by law enforcement.
Parading the suspects alongside others at the command headquarters in Ikot-Akpanabia, Uyo, on Wednesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, revealed that the arrest was triggered by a complaint from a concerned mother.
According to the PPRO, on June 15, 2024, a woman from Afaha Atai Village, Ibesikpo Asutan LGA, reported that Christiana Uwem Ibanga lured her six-year-old daughter away to an undisclosed location.
“Acting swiftly, our operatives launched an investigation and arrested Ibanga and her boyfriend, Inyene Etuk Akpan, on January 14, 2025, in Abuja,” John stated.
During interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed to selling their own child in May 2024 for ₦450,000 with the assistance of one Saviour Aniedi.
Further confessions revealed that Ibanga conspired with Aniedi and his wife to abduct the complainant’s daughter, who was later sold in Aba, Abia State, to an unidentified buyer.
YEPS News reports that the Akwa Ibom State Police Command has since launched a manhunt in Aba to locate the buyer and recover the stolen child.
“On January 23, 2025, our investigators extended their operations to Aba in pursuit of the buyer and the missing child. While the suspects in Aba remain elusive, we have made significant progress, and their arrest is imminent,” the PPRO added.
She further warned criminals in the state to desist from unlawful activities or face the full force of the law.
Meanwhile, YEPS News gathered that the police have intensified their crackdown on criminal hideouts and illicit drug operations, leading to multiple arrests.
During a recent raid, a female suspect, Happiness George, was apprehended for allegedly dealing in Indian hemp and other illegal substances.
Similarly, at a brothel in Ikot Ebong Village, Odoro Ikot Clan, two women, Queen Sambo Umoren (28) and Joy Chima, were arrested with substances suspected to be Indian hemp and a jackknife.
Additionally, a 32-year-old suspect, Ekemini-Abasi Silas, was caught mounting an illegal roadblock at Ikot Ekpenyong Village, where he was found in possession of suspected illicit drugs.
The police have assured residents that efforts to rid the state of crime will continue, urging the public to report any suspicious activities to authorities.