A man identified as Chiemerie Onuigbo has been arrested by youths in Awka village, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, for allegedly abducting three children belonging to his neighbour.

The incident occurred on Tuesday evening while the children’s mother was feeding them. According to reports, she briefly went into the house to dish out more food, only to return and discover that her children—aged 6, 3, and 2—had disappeared.

Confirming the development in a press release, the Anambra State Police Command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said community youths apprehended Onuigbo and handed him over to the authorities.

“Preliminary information reveals that Charles Chiemerie Onuigbo and two others currently at large conspired and abducted the three children. Further revelations from the mother of the victims stated that while her children were eating in front of their house, she went into the kitchen to get them more food but returned to find them missing,” Ikenga said.

He added that the suspect, who is a neighbour of the family, had allegedly been harbouring the two accomplices still on the run.

Onuigbo was reportedly beaten by angry community members before being rescued by the police. He is currently in custody, while efforts are ongoing to rescue the abducted children and reunite them with their mother.

The police have assured residents that an intensive manhunt is underway to track down the fleeing suspects.