The suspects were apprehended on September 7, 2026, by operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Gender Unit, at a hotel in Obi, Obingwa Local Government Area of the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, disclosed the arrest on Friday while briefing journalists on the command’s operational achievements since he assumed office on August 10.
According to the commissioner, the suspects were initially transferred from the Central Police Station, Umuahia, to the SCID in connection with allegations of conspiracy and child trafficking.
He said preliminary investigations confirmed that the infant was the biological daughter of one of the suspects, while further inquiries suggested that the alleged plan was driven by the intention to obtain money from the child’s sale.
The police rescued the girl and handed her over to the Ministry of Women Affairs for protection, while the four suspects remained in custody as investigations continued.
Afolabi also disclosed that the command had recorded more than 152 criminal cases and arrested over 220 suspects since he took charge.
He said several of the cases had been concluded and taken before the courts, while police operations during the period also led to the rescue of nine kidnapped victims, recovery of 101 rounds of ammunition and cartridges, and the recovery of six stolen vehicles, including tricycles and motorcycles.
The command, he added, dismantled two criminal networks during the period.
In a separate case, the commissioner announced the rescue of a medical doctor who was allegedly abducted by armed men on August 19.
He explained that the victim was forced into his vehicle before the abductors headed towards Imo State. The vehicle was subsequently tracked through technology-assisted police operations involving the Abia and Imo commands.
The operation resulted in the recovery of the vehicle and the safe rescue of the doctor in the early hours of August 20.
Afolabi said several suspects connected to the abduction had been arrested, including persons allegedly involved in facilitating the movement or distribution of ransom funds, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of the suspected network.
The commissioner further disclosed the arrest of another suspect allegedly connected to an armed robbery and kidnapping incident along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway in Aba.
He said the suspect was linked to an incident in which a female motorist was allegedly dispossessed of her Toyota Highlander, mobile phones, handbag and other valuables.
