An Enugu Magistrate Court has sentenced a 23-year-old woman, Rejoice Odoh, to three years’ imprisonment for conspiracy and another three years for child stealing, with both sentences to run concurrently, over the abduction of a four-month-old baby boy at Oye-Emene Market, Emene, Enugu.
The Enugu State Police Command said the convict allegedly took the baby on October 20, 2026, under the pretence of helping the mother carry him while going to purchase an item from a nearby shop, but subsequently disappeared with the child.
Police investigations revealed that she allegedly conspired with her younger sister, who is currently at large, to present the baby to their family members in Ubahu, Nkanu East Local Government Area, as her own child.
The police said detectives, working with personnel of Amechi-Idodo Police Division and members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group, arrested the suspect and recovered the baby at Idume, Amankanu, Nkanu East LGA, on October 24.
The child was subsequently reunited with his parents. The suspect, who pleaded guilty, was convicted on October 29.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, commended the officers and other individuals involved in the operation and urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant and promptly report missing-child incidents to the police.
