Anambra Security Chief Reveals How Child Trafficking Syndicate Leader Was Arrested
The Special Anti-Touting Squad (SASA) in Anambra state has successfully apprehended a notorious leader of a child trafficking syndicate, Sunday Nonye, who had stolen two young girls from Ebonyi state. The security operation, led by SASA director Monday Nwokoye, resulted in the rescue of the children and the arrest of the prime suspect.
Operation Details and Arrest
Acting on credible intelligence, SASA operatives stormed a hotel in the Umusiome area of Nkpor, Anambra state, on Wednesday, March 15, 2026. They arrested Sunday Nonye while he was in possession of the two stolen children, aged 3 and 5 years, whom he had reportedly taken from Umuezeokoha community in Ezza North local government area of Ebonyi state.
Monday Nwokoye, director of SASA, provided exclusive details of the operation: "After arresting the suspect in possession of the two stolen children, and after interrogating him, we handed him over to the state Criminal Investigation Department of the police command in Awka for proper investigation and possible prosecution."
The security chief confirmed that the children were safely reunited with their parents in Ebonyi state by Friday, March 27, 2026, while Nonye remained in police custody.
Syndicate Operations and Accomplices
During interrogation, Sunday Nonye revealed disturbing details about his criminal network. According to Nwokoye, the suspect admitted to stealing over 30 children from Ebonyi state and selling them to syndicate members across Nigeria, particularly in Rivers, Lagos, Oyo, and Edo states.
The operation also uncovered that Nonye worked with a 14-year-old boy who would lure children to their hideouts. "This boy is very clever. He would lure these children to their hideout, where his supposed father is hiding, before they're stolen and sold out," Nwokoye explained.
Authorities are now working to track down additional syndicate members, including a medical personnel identified only as Uju, who works at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital in Nnewi.
SASA's Impact on Crime Reduction
Nwokoye highlighted how SASA's presence has significantly reduced criminal activities in the Upper Iweka area of Onitsha, previously known as a volatile zone. He described how criminal groups had attempted to bribe SASA officials but were instead arrested and handed over to law enforcement agencies.
"Since then, no other criminal group has approached us for any form of negotiation, because they've come to realise that SASA has zero tolerance for criminality," Nwokoye stated, praising Governor Charles Soludo for providing the necessary support for SASA's operations.
Related Criminal Activity in Anambra
In a separate but related development, Anambra police have arrested a five-member criminal gang, including a woman, for luring motorcycle (okada) riders to isolated locations where they were robbed of their motorcycles and valuables in Ihiala.
Investigations revealed that the female suspect would pose as a passenger, deceiving motorcyclists to remote hideouts where other gang members would then attack and rob them. Authorities recovered firearms, stolen motorcycles, and other incriminating items during this operation.
The successful arrest of Sunday Nonye and the rescue of the two children demonstrate SASA's commitment to combating serious crimes in Anambra state, particularly those involving vulnerable children and organized criminal networks.
