The Anambra State Police Command has pledged to take full responsibility for the medical treatment of the surviving child among four children found unconscious at a female native doctor’s premises in Ideani, Idemili South Local Government Area.
Three of the children, aged six, nine and 12, were reported dead after the discovery, while the fourth child, aged 15, survived and is receiving medical attention.
The incident occurred in the early hours of August 5 at Umuoduba Village, Ideani, according to the police.
The newly deployed Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Nnanna Oji Ama, announced the decision on Monday during his maiden press briefing at the command headquarters in Awka.
Ama said the command would pay the surviving child’s full medical expenses and monitor the treatment until recovery.
“Before addressing the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate incident, I wish to announce that the Anambra State Police Command will bear the full medical expenses of the surviving child,” the CP said.
“We shall also closely monitor the child’s treatment and recovery to ensure that every necessary medical intervention is provided.”
The commissioner said the immediate priority was to save the child’s life, describing the intervention as a demonstration of the command’s commitment to protecting human life.
The circumstances that led to the children being found unconscious remain unclear.
According to the account provided by the command, the children were discovered at the premises of a female native doctor after residents raised the alarm. Security operatives subsequently took the woman away from the scene.
Police have not publicly established what caused the children to lose consciousness or the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the three victims.
Ama, however, assured residents that the incident would be investigated professionally.
The commissioner’s pledge came as he unveiled a new policing strategy for Anambra, built around intelligence gathering, technology, community partnerships and public trust.
Ama said he had received detailed briefings on the security situation in the state since assuming office and would conduct a comprehensive review of the command’s operational strategies.
He said the review would focus on strengthening intelligence-led policing, improving operational efficiency, deploying technology more effectively and enhancing proactive crime prevention.
The command, he added, would also deepen cooperation with other security agencies, organised vigilante groups, community leaders and other stakeholders.
“We shall also reinforce community policing initiatives, strengthen collaboration with sister security agencies, organised vigilante groups and other critical stakeholders, and continue to build public confidence through effective partnership and engagement,” Ama said.
The commissioner urged residents to continue cooperating with security agencies by providing credible information that could assist investigations and crime prevention.
He also appealed to the media to exercise caution in reporting the children’s deaths, stressing the need for factual and responsible coverage in the interest of public safety.
The incident has raised concern in the community, particularly because of the ages of the victims and the uncertainty surrounding what happened before they were discovered.
For now, the surviving child remains the police command’s immediate priority as investigators work to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Ama assured residents that the police would carry out their constitutional responsibilities with fairness, professionalism and respect for the rule of law.
“Our objective is clear—to make Anambra State safer, more secure and more peaceful for every resident and visitor,” he said.
