By Ekpenyong Emmanuel
A shocking case of child trafficking has been uncovered in Ondo State, Nigeria, where a couple, Lukman Isiaka and Abosede Olanipekun, have been arrested for stealing babies and toddlers. The couple, who are part of a three-member syndicate, allegedly sold the children to Sabira Izuorah, a 68-year-old woman in Anambra State, for N500,000 each.
According to the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Wilfred Afolabi, the couple’s arrest was made possible through intelligence-led policing. The police were able to track down the couple to Ottah village in Edo State, where they were apprehended.
During interrogation, the couple confessed to stealing children from Ondo and Osun States and selling them to Izuorah. Lukman Isiaka, a bricklayer, revealed that he had been involved in the illicit trade since 2023 and had sold 11 children to Izuorah.
The police were able to recover 14 babies and toddlers from Izuorah’s “orphanage” in Ihiala, Anambra State. Izuorah, who claimed to have retired as a Director from the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs in Anambra State, admitted to receiving the children from the couple.
The case has shed light on the dark world of child trafficking in Nigeria, where vulnerable children are stolen and sold to unsuspecting buyers. The police have vowed to continue their efforts to locate and rescue the children currently on the missing list.
