Police arrests woman who abducted children in Lagos

Police operatives in Ebonyi have arrested a woman who abducted children in four states.

The woman, Ngozi Blessing Abia, also known as Mercy Francis, has carried out her nefarious trade in Lagos, Ebonyi, Anambra and Edo.

The spokesman for the state police command, Joshua Ukandu, who confirmed the development in a statement on Tuesday in Abakaliki, said the operatives also rescued six of the children in the operation.

He said investigation into the suspect’s activities began in January when one Nkwuda Francis reported that a woman who posed as a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) had kidnapped his two children.

He added that the children were later found in Anambra where the suspect sold them.

Ukandu said: “He complained that his children were kidnapped from his house at Nwezenyi Igbeagu, Izzi local government area of Ebonyi after the suspect rented a room in the compound.

“The children, aged 3 and 7, were later found to have been taken by Ngozi Blessing-Abia, which was revealed to be the suspect’s true identity.

“Following a diligent investigation by officers attached to the gender unit of the command, the suspect was located in Oba, Anambra, where the children were rescued and returned to their family.”

“Two women, Lovina Iwuorah and Ndifereke Wisdom Clement, whose children were abducted in Ohaozara, Ebonyi, had identified the suspect as the conspirator.”

He said the suspect sold three children to an orphanage home in Benin, Edo State.

“The proprietor of the orphanage has been detained and is providing valuable information to the police.

“Additionally, one Chinasa Uwezoke from Lagos, upon learning of the arrest, visited the command and identified the suspect as someone, who had gained her trust and subsequently took her three children to the market, only to flee with her three-year-old son,” he added.