Nigeria: Police Arrest, Arraign Medical Doctor for Child Trafficking, Forgery in Enugu

10 October 2024
Vanguard (Lagos)
By Chinedu Adonu

...rescue pregnant woman, children

The Nigeria Police, Enugu State Command, has arrested Dr. Emmanuel Chimaobi Ugwumba, aged 52, of Ezimo-Agu, Udenu Local Government Area, for alleged child trafficking and forgery.

The command, in a statement by its spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed that operatives also rescued a pregnant woman and two female children.

He said that Dr. Ugwumba's arrest followed the interception of a public notice regarding an abandoned child, which he authored and endorsed in the name of the Enugu State Ministry of Gender and Social Development as the Director of OTZ. The notice was published in the Daily Sun Newspaper on September 27, 2024.

"The Enugu State Police Command's Operatives, serving in the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad, on September 28, 2024, arrested Dr. Emmanuel Chimaobi Ugwumba, aged 52, of Ezimo-Agu, Udenu Local Government Area. His arrest followed the interception of a public notice concerning an abandoned child, which he authored and endorsed in the name of the Enugu State Ministry of Gender and Social Development as the Director of OTZ. The notice was published in the Daily Sun Newspaper on September 27, 2024.

"Upon his arrest, it was discovered that he was involved in child trafficking. A pregnant woman, the four-year-old child mentioned in the notice, and another two-year-old girl were rescued.

"Investigation revealed that the suspect, who claimed to be a graduate of medicine and surgery from the University of Jos, owns and manages Chima Hospital and Maternity, located at Ugbaike, Enugu-Ezike, in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area.

"Further findings showed that between 2017 and 2024, he conspired with an alleged staff member of the Ministry and others still at large to provide antenatal care and deliver seven yet-to-be-traced children from different mothers at the hospital.

"The suspect was also found to be in unauthorized possession of various documents from the Ministry of Gender Affairs, as well as unverified pest/vector certificates from the Enugu State Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources."

The suspect was arraigned in court on October 9, 2024, and remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Custodial Centre pending further hearing.

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