Sam Philip
Police in Ondo State Command have arrested members of a syndicate dealing in stealing and trafficking babies in Ihiala, Anambra State.
They have been operating in different communities in Ondo and Osun states for a long time.
The bubble burst when two members of the syndicate, who are a couple, Lukman Isiaka and Abosede Olanipekun stole a baby from his mother(names withheld) in Okuta Elerinla area of Akure, Ondo State capital.
Speaking with newsmen, the state Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi disclosed that the syndicate specialised in child stealing and trafficking.
He explained that a case of a missing child was reported at Okuta Elerin-Nla Division in Akure. The complainant reported that a man, Samuel Adejobi (real name: Lukman Isiaka, m, age, 42 years), and a woman, Ewatomi (real name: Abosede Olanipekun), came to her shop pretending to be siblings to eat.
Abosede began to play with the complainant’s child and while playing with the child, she deceived the mother by claiming that she wanted to buy biscuits for the baby.
While Bosede was taking the baby away, Lukman distracted the complainant by engaging her in a personal conversation and subsequently requested that she should accompany him to Olukayode plaza at Oja-Oba market to get a mobile phone.
The mother of the baby didn’t suspect any foul play until Lukman sneaked away while with him at Olukayode complex.
When she could not find him, she rushed back to her shop only to discover that Abosede never returned to her shop with her baby.
She, therefore, rushed to the police station at Okuta Elerinla to report that her baby had been stolen.
Subsequently, the police swung into action and was able to track the couple to Ottah Village in Edo State and arrested them.
Upon interrogation, the suspects owned up that they abducted the baby in Akure and some other children from Osun State.
They confessed that they sold the babies at the rate of N1 million to one Sabira Izuorah, age 62, in Ihiala, Anambra State.
The suspects disclosed to the operatives that they would have to go to Ihiala quickly because Sabira was about travelling abroad allegedly with a child she wanted to go and deliver to a buyer.
It was revealed that Sabira allegedly resold some of the babies at the rate of N7 million and more depending on who the buyer is.
On arrival at Sabira’s place, which was said to be an orphanage, 14 babies were rescued.
She had renamed the children stolen from Yoruba parents in Igbo names. And all the children could only understand and speak Igbo when they were brought to Akure.
It was discovered majority of the children rescued were stolen from Ijebu-Ijesa, Ilesha, Ile-Ife and Osogbo.
Some of the parents, who were at the police headquarters at Alagbaka, Akure to see if their children were among the rescued babies, disclosed that Lukman and Abosede usually feigned that they wanted to rent a room.
In some occasions, they paid the rent and stole babies same day and went into the thin air.
In a particular incident, a couple who came from Osogbo to see if their son was among the rescued babies, but could not see him, identified Abosede and Lukman.
He said they paid the rent and after two weeks escaped with their son when his wife was in the kitchen preparing food.
However, only one out of the 14 babies is yet to be claimed by his parents.
Before police could release the babies to their parents, they came with the family photographs to prove that the babies are truly theirs.
The Commissioner of Police said investigation is still ongoing to know the whereabouts of several other babies that have been reported missing.
He assured that the suspects would be arraigned upon completion of investigation.
The syndicate could not be precise about the number of babies they have stolen, sold and trafficked out of the country or within.