Police Detain Orphanage Operator Over Alleged Child Trafficking
The proprietress of Care of Child Orphanage in Imo State, Madam Charity Uzoka, is currently detained by the Imo State Police Command over allegations of child trafficking.
It was gathered that she was arrested on Friday October 31, 2025 and has remained in police custody.
One Miss Mercy Okoro, 21 years from Ebonyi State, identified as a partner to Mr. Sunday Elias Michael from Plateau State, 28 years reportedly gave birth to a baby boy at Watergate Hospital in Orji on June 20, 2025.
According to a statement issued by Marjorie Ezihe, Executive Coordinator of Sister With A Goal Initiative (SWAG), Madam Uzoka had previously offered Mercy the sum of N1.5 million in exchange for her unborn child.
Ezihe further disclosed that following the child’s birth, Mercy was taken to the Care of Child Orphanage from the hospital on June 21, 2025, and subsequently, her child was no longer seen.
The SWAG leader explained that Mercy remained at the orphanage for one week to recover, and upon returning to her partner Elias, she relayed the story that her baby had died at birth and was buried at her relatives’ residence.
A whistleblower eventually exposed the situation and reported the matter to the police.
Ezihe stated that the investigation into the incident revealed that the baby was alive and had been sold, but was falsely documented at the orphanage as having been adopted.
The SWAG chief reported that Mercy confessed to the incident, while also noting that the police authorities resisted multiple bribery attempts aimed at altering the narrative to exonerate Madam Charity Uzoka.
According to Ezihe, Mercy Okoro, conversely, is currently under protective counseling and receiving psychosocial therapy.
She advocated for criminal charges to be brought against Madam Charity Uzoka and any potential collaborators, emphasizing the need for the temporary closure of the Care of Child Orphanage in Imo State pending an audit by the relevant authorities.
Ezihe enumerated several rights that may have been violated by Madam Uzoka, including the child’s right to identity and family, protection from sale or trafficking, freedom from exploitation and deceit, as well as the right to parental care.
She also called for the protection and rehabilitation of Mercy Okoro and her two children, in addition to advocating for stricter government oversight of adoption processes and orphanage licensing within the state.
