Anambra Police Seek Public Help to Find Toddler Kidn@pped by Unidentified Woman

The Anambra State Police Command has launched an urgent appeal for public assistance following the abduction of a three-year-old boy, Master Chimaobi Nwadike, in Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area. According to official reports, the child was taken away by an unidentified woman on Friday, September 26, 2025, while in the custody of his mother.

The incident has thrown the community into panic and renewed concerns about the rise of child theft and abduction in the South-East. With police now calling on the public for credible information, the search for the toddler has become a matter of state-wide interest and anxiety.

According to a press statement issued by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, preliminary information suggests that the abduction occurred in the early hours of September 26. Witnesses reported that the unidentified woman, believed to be in her mid-thirties, engaged the child’s mother in conversation before seizing the opportunity to lure the boy away.

Residents in Obosi said the area was unusually crowded that morning, making it difficult for bystanders to notice the child’s disappearance immediately. By the time the mother raised an alarm, the suspect had vanished with the toddler, blending into the bustling activity of the community.

Police officers swiftly responded after the case was reported, but despite combing through nearby streets and exit routes, the suspect was not immediately apprehended.

In his official release, SP Ikenga emphasized the need for swift community cooperation in tracing the missing child.

“The Anambra State Police Command seeks assistance from members of the public, especially residents of Anambra State, regarding a case of child stealing that occurred on September 26, 2025, at Obosi, Idemili North LGA. Preliminary information revealed that the victim, Master Chimaobi Nwadike, a three-year-old boy, was stolen by an unidentified woman while in the custody of his mother. The Command is calling on anyone with useful information on the whereabouts of the child or the suspect to kindly report to the nearest Police Station or call the Command’s emergency numbers.”

Emergency hotlines have since been circulated across media platforms, with Ikenga urging residents to remain vigilant and avoid spreading unverified information that could jeopardize the investigation.

The Obosi community has been left devastated by the incident. Residents described it as a violation of their sense of safety, especially since children are often considered untouchable in the community’s cultural and spiritual consciousness.

Elders in the area lamented the frequency of such incidents in recent years. Many residents expressed fears that the boy may have been taken for ritual purposes or trafficking, both of which have become recurring problems in the South-East.

Mothers across Idemili North have reportedly tightened vigilance over their children, with some schools and churches already issuing advisories to parents about heightened security consciousness.

Child theft and abduction remain one of the most persistent criminal activities in Anambra State. Over the past decade, the police have uncovered several child trafficking syndicates operating within and beyond the state. These groups often steal children for illegal adoption, child labour, ritual practices, or sale across borders.

In August 2022, police rescued five children stolen from Imo and Anambra states, who had been trafficked to Port Harcourt for illegal adoption. In another case in 2023, a syndicate in Nnewi was arrested for abducting infants from hospitals and selling them to buyers in neighbouring states.

Experts say the high demand for children, combined with weak enforcement of child protection laws, has emboldened traffickers and kidnappers who see it as a lucrative enterprise.

Security analysts note that the Anambra Police Command faces several challenges in handling cases of this nature. Limited surveillance technology, inadequate manpower, and poor community-police trust remain obstacles. In communities like Obosi, where activities are crowded and unregulated, child thieves find opportunities to strike and escape undetected.

Investigators also face hurdles in tracking suspects quickly, especially when syndicates move children across states within hours. Without advanced tracking systems, the window for rescue often closes rapidly.

In Igbo culture, children are seen as divine gifts and community treasures. Their abduction is not just a crime but a spiritual violation that invokes communal outrage. Many communities believe that those who steal or harm children incur generational curses.

This cultural perspective partly explains why child theft often triggers strong vigilante reactions, with suspects at risk of mob justice when caught. Elders in Obosi have already warned that if the suspect is identified by locals before the police apprehend her, the situation could escalate into violence.

Local vigilante groups in Idemili North have reportedly begun parallel searches for the missing boy. While the police welcome citizen cooperation, there are concerns about the risk of misidentification and jungle justice.

Cases of mob attacks on innocent people mistakenly accused of child theft have been documented in Anambra and other states. In 2019, a woman in Onitsha was lynched after being falsely accused of attempting to abduct a child. Authorities are therefore urging restraint while assuring the public that the case is receiving urgent attention.

Civil society organizations have also weighed in on the case, urging the state government to strengthen child protection measures. The Anambra State Ministry of Women Affairs has called for the immediate activation of community watch networks, particularly around markets, schools, and religious centres where children are most vulnerable.

The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Anambra chapter has also appealed to media houses to give sustained coverage to the case to ensure public awareness remains high until the child is found.

Analysts argue that Nigeria could benefit from adopting models like the AMBER Alert System in the United States, where information about missing children is instantly broadcast across digital and physical networks — from highway billboards to mobile alerts. Such a system, if localized, could help prevent children from being trafficked across state lines before law enforcement catches up.

In South Africa, similar missing child alert systems have been effective in tracking abductors within hours. Nigeria’s absence of such infrastructure leaves parents and police dependent on slower, less coordinated methods.

For the Nwadike family, the ordeal has been deeply traumatic. Neighbours said the mother has been inconsolable since the incident, with relatives rallying around in support. Many residents have been holding prayer vigils, calling for the safe return of the toddler.

The father, speaking briefly to journalists, pleaded with the public: “If anyone has seen my son, please, please help us. He is only three years old. We just want him back.”

The abduction of Master Chimaobi Nwadike is not just a local incident but a reminder of Nigeria’s broader struggle with child security. While the police continue their search, the case has reignited calls for systemic reforms — from technological investment in surveillance to stronger community-police partnerships.

Until then, the fate of the three-year-old boy remains uncertain, and the entire state watches with bated breath, hoping for his safe return.