Police arrest four child trafficking suspects in Port Harcourt

By Davies Iheamnachor

PORT HARCOURT — The Rivers State Police Command has busted a child trafficking syndicate and arrested four suspected members in Port Harcourt.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, noting that the suspects had been on the police watchlist for some time.

According to Iringe-Koko, one of the suspects was first apprehended in the Igwuruta area of Ikwerre Local Government Area, leading to the subsequent arrest of other members of the gang.

“The syndicate, allegedly led by one Blessing Jack, a 54-year-old woman residing on Timber Road, Igwuruta, specialized in exploiting vulnerable young mothers, stealing, and selling their newborn babies for financial gain,” she said.

Iringe-Koko explained that on October 9, 2025, at about 3:00 p.m., operatives of the Command attached to the C4i Intelligence Unit arrested Blessing Jack in Igwuruta through intelligence-led policing.

“A recorded conversation between Blessing Jack and one Marley Oburu revealed the syndicate’s modus operandi. She discussed a recent case where her associate took a woman’s baby under the false pretext that the child had died, after which the baby was sold for ₦2 million,” Iringe-Koko stated.

She added that the syndicate used fake medical scans and deceitful tactics to manipulate pregnant women into surrendering their babies.

Other suspects arrested include:

Chinonso Raymond, 30, of Igwuruta, Port Harcourt;

Chinyere Okorie, 32, of Pipeline, Rumuoholu, Port Harcourt; and

Nkechi Nwankwo, 50, also of Pipeline, Rumuoholu, Port Harcourt.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Blessing Jack had previously served a three-year jail term in Calabar for child trafficking, indicating her long-standing involvement in the illegal trade.

Iringe-Koko further noted that all the suspects confessed to their roles in the crime. They are currently in police custody as investigations continue to track down other members of the network.

She added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, commended the operatives for their diligence and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to protecting vulnerable persons and eradicating human trafficking in Rivers State.

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