We Sell Each Child Stolen From Akure, Ilesa For N500,000 — Suspects

Members of a child trafficking syndicate, arrested by the Ondo State Police Command, have confessed to selling stolen children for ₦500,000 each to their receivers, with plans to sell them for much higher prices. The suspects, Lukman Isiaka (43), Abosede Olanipekun (23), and Sabira Izuorah (68), were apprehended while in possession of 14 stolen babies and toddlers from Akure, Ondo State, and Ilesa, Osun State.

Details of the Operation

The children were recovered from Izuorah, who claimed to operate an orphanage in Ihiala, Anambra State. The children included four babies between one week and two months old, alongside ten other children. Izuorah, a former director at the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs in Anambra, admitted to receiving the children from Lukman and Abosede.

“I have a registered orphanage called Clarion Children’s Care and Reforms Initiatives, and we started full operation in 2020. Lukman and his wife brought a total of 11 children to me. I don’t pay them; the adoptive parents are the ones who pay them, although they don’t give me money—only food and supplies,” she explained during her interrogation.

How the Traffickers Operated

Lukman, who described himself as a bricklayer, confessed to stealing children since 2023. He explained how Izuorah introduced him and his wife to the illicit trade. “We would find children who were wandering and trick them into coming with us, promising them biscuits and soft drinks. After walking with them, we’d take them on a bike to a park, and from there, travel to Anambra to deliver them to Izuorah,” Lukman detailed.

He admitted to receiving ₦500,000 for each child from Izuorah, who in turn sold them for ₦1 million or more to adoptive parents. According to Lukman, the couple operated primarily in Akure and Ilesa. When questioned about the babies found in Izuorah’s custody, Lukman stated, “I don’t know about the two-month-old and four-month-old babies. She is the one who can say where she got them from.”

Police Action and Recovery of Children

The Ondo State Police Commissioner, Wilfred Afolabi, explained that intelligence-led policing led to the arrests of Lukman and Abosede, who were traced to Ottah Village, Edo State. They were later brought back to Akure, where they led the police to Izuorah’s location in Ihiala, Anambra State.

A case was initially reported at the Okuta Elerin-Nla Police Division in Akure after a mother discovered her child was missing, having been deceived by Abosede under the guise of buying biscuits for the child. When the mother returned, Abosede had disappeared, leaving the child behind.

Following the confessions, the police were able to recover a total of 14 children, who were then returned to their families. Among the children rescued were Baby Favour (female, 3 weeks old), Baby Chidera (female, 2 weeks old), Baby Chinyere (female, 2 months old), and Baby Uzoma (male, 1 week old).

Additionally, 10 other children were identified by their parents, who had previously been stolen from various locations, including Akure, Ilesha, Ibodi Town, Osogbo, and Ilesa, and were later sold by Izuorah.

Identified Victims

The victims identified during the operation include:

• Dauda Alarape (male, 3½ years), stolen from Akure
• Babalola David (male, 4 years), stolen from Akure
• Ayomide Abass (male, 2 years), stolen from Orita-Obele, Akure
• Komolafe Oluwasekemi (female, 4 years), stolen from Igado, Ilesha
• Adedeji Olalekan (male, 6½ years)
• Ahmed Abdulrasaq (male, 5½ years), stolen from Ibodi Town
• Mary Wuraola (female, 2 years), stolen from Ilesha
• Mubarak Akinwunmi (male, 6 years), stolen from Osogbo
• An unknown child stolen from Osun State

The police also mentioned that some children are still missing, and efforts are ongoing to locate and rescue them.

Call for Vigilance and Justice

The case highlights the growing problem of child trafficking in Nigeria and the need for more vigilance and enforcement of laws to protect children. Commissioner Afolabi emphasized that the success of this operation was a direct result of the cooperative efforts between the police and the public, urging more people to report suspicious activities.