The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has apprehended Christiana Ibanga and her boyfriend, Inyene Akpan, for allegedly selling their own child and abducting another minor.
The couple reportedly sold their infant for ₦450,000 in May 2024 and later conspired with accomplices to steal a six-year-old girl, who was subsequently sold in Aba, Abia State.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, disclosed this development while parading the suspects at the command headquarters in Ikot-Akpanabia, Uyo, on Wednesday.
She explained that the arrest followed a tip-off and a complaint lodged by a woman who accused Ibanga of kidnapping her daughter.
“On June 15, 2024, a woman from Afaha Atai Village, Ibesikpo Asutan LGA, reported that one Christiana Uwem Ibanga of Ekamba Nsukara Village, Uyo LGA, 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 said.
Further interrogation revealed that Ibanga and Akpan had previously sold their own child with the help of an accomplice identified as Saviour Aniedi.
She also admitted to working with Aniedi and his wife to abduct the complainant’s child, who was later sold in Aba.
In response, the police have intensified efforts to track down the unidentified buyer and recover the missing 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.
John also used the opportunity to issue a stern warning to criminals in the state, urging them to desist from illegal activities or risk facing the full weight of the law.
In a related operation, the police command has intensified its fight against illicit drugs and criminal hideouts, leading to multiple arrests.
One of the suspects, Happiness George, was taken into custody for allegedly dealing in Indian hemp and other banned substances.
Additionally, a raid on a brothel in Ikot Ebong Village, Odoro Ikot Clan, led to the arrest of two women, Queen Sambo Umoren (28) and Joy Chima, who were found with suspected Indian hemp and a jackknife.
Meanwhile, a separate arrest was made in Ikot Ekpenyong Village, where Ekemini-Abasi Silas (32) was caught mounting an illegal roadblock while in possession of illicit drugs.
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining law and order while continuing its efforts to rid the state of criminal activities.
