Police operatives in Enugu have arrested Dr. Emmanuel Ugwumba over allegations of child trafficking and forgery in the Udenu Local Government Area. The Enugu State Police Command’s spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the arrest in a statement released on Wednesday, shedding light on a complex case that has garnered attention.
According to Ndukwe, officers from the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad apprehended Ugwumba on September 28 after acting on credible intelligence linking him to a suspected child trafficking ring. “The suspect was arrested following solid intelligence that tied him to a network involved in trafficking children,” Ndukwe stated. He added that investigations are currently underway, with further details expected to emerge as the case unfolds.
The arrest came after police intercepted a public notice issued by Ugwumba regarding an abandoned child, a document endorsed in the name of the Enugu State Ministry of Gender and Social Development under his title as director of OTZ. Upon further investigation, officers uncovered Ugwumba’s involvement in child trafficking, leading to the rescue of a pregnant woman, a four-year-old girl, and a two-year-old girl. Both children are now in protective custody.
The police also discovered that Ugwumba, who claimed to have graduated with a degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Jos, owns and operates Chima Hospital and Maternity in Ugbaike Enugu-Ezike, located in the Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area. Between 2017 and 2024, it is alleged that he conspired with a self-proclaimed employee of the Ministry of Gender Affairs, along with other accomplices still at large, to conduct prenatal care and deliver seven children from different mothers, all of whom have yet to be located.
In addition, police found various official documents in Ugwumba’s possession, including paperwork from the Ministry of Gender Affairs and unverified pest/vector certificates purportedly issued by the Enugu State Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources. The discovery of these documents adds another layer of suspicion to the investigation, as authorities continue to unravel the full scope of Ugwumba’s alleged activities.
