By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Police Command has announced the rescue and safe custody of a 13-year-old boy, Master Anayo Stephen, who was allegedly abducted in Imo State and later found in Anambra.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement issued on Monday, the boy, a native of Ubaha-Akparu community in Ideato Local Government Area of Imo State, was discovered at Ideani Junction in Anambra State after reportedly escaping from his abductors.
Narrating his ordeal, Master Stephen said that on August 9, 2025, at about 3:00 p.m., he was on his way to fetch grass for his goats when four young men in a Hilux vehicle approached him under the guise of seeking directions to a particular location in his community. Unaware of their intentions, he engaged them, but was allegedly abducted and taken to an undisclosed location.
He further recounted that while being kept in the bush, his captors fell asleep, which gave him the opportunity to escape. Wandering away from the scene, he encountered vigilante operatives at Ideani Junction, to whom he narrated his experience.
SP Ikenga said the victim speaks both Igbo and English fluently and is currently in the safe custody of the Police. He added that the Command is seeking the support of the public and the media to help circulate the boy’s picture and information to facilitate his identification and reunification with his family.
While assuring the public of ongoing efforts to investigate the matter, the Police also called for vigilance and community cooperation in combating abduction and other forms of crime in the state.
