Human Trafficking: Police Recover 14 Children, Arrest Syndicate in Ondo

Fidelis David in Akure

The Ondo State Police Command has recovered 14 children including four infants after apprehending a syndicate whose specialty is in child stealing and trafficking.
The State Commissioner of Police, Wilfred Afolabi, while parading the suspects at the command headquarters in Akure at the weekend, identified the suspects as Lukman Isiaka, 42; Abosede Olanipekun and Sabira Izuorah, 62.

The CP explained that Lukman Isiaka and Abosede Olanipekun were arrested for allegedly kidnapping an 18-month-old baby boy from his mother and selling him.
Isiaka who had shown interest in dating the victim’s mother, lured her to a plaza under the pretext of buying her a phone. Upon arriving at the plaza, he disappeared, leaving her alone.

His words: “A case of a missing child was reported at Okuta Elerin-Nla Division in Akure. A 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.

“While playing with the complainant’s child, Abosede deceived her by claiming she wanted to buy biscuits for the baby. Meanwhile, Lukman distracted the complainant by engaging her in a personal conversation and requested she followed her to Olukayode Plaza in the market to get a mobile phone.

“On getting to the market area, he abandoned her and left, on getting back to the shop, the complainant discovered that her child was missing with no trace of Abosede the supposed sister of the man she followed to the market, thus a report was made at the Division.”
Afolabi noted that through intelligence-led policing, the suspects were traced to Ottah Village in Edo State, where they were arrested.

“During interrogation, the suspects admitted to abducting the child and other children from Ondo and Osun States and selling them to Sabira Izuorah ‘f’ age 62 years in Ihiala, Anambra State, at the rate N1million per child,” he said.

The CP said subsequently, Sabina was arrested in Ihiala and 14 babies were found in her custody.

“Baby Favour (female, 3 weeks old); Baby Chidera (female, 2 weeks old); Baby Chinyere (female, 2 months and 5 days old); Baby Uzoma (male, 1 week old)”.

According to Afolabi, also, on the 14th of January 2025, ten children sold by Mrs. Izuorah were rescued from various locations, and have been identified by their parents.

His words: “Dauda Alarape (male, 3½ years); Babalola David (male, 4 years); Asaolu Pamilerin (7 years); Ayomide Abass (male, 2 years, stolen from Orita-Obele, Akure); Komolafe Oluwasekemi (female, 4 years, stolen from Igado, Ilesha); Adedeji Olalekan (male, 6½ years) and Ahmed Abdulrasaq (male, 5½ years, stolen from Ibodi Town, Osun State).

“Others recovered are Mary Wuraola (female, 2 years, stolen from Ilesha, Osun State); Mubarak Akinwunmi (male, 6 years, stolen from Osogbo, Osun State); Unknown child (name/parents yet to be identified, stolen from Osun State).”

He added that some children are currently on the missing list while efforts are ongoing to locate and rescue them stressing that the suspects will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.

Meanwhile, some parents who identified their recovered children broke down in tears of joy as they expressed the agony, they went through without finding the whereabouts of their children.

Mrs. Babalola Salome, a hair dresser who recognized his son, David Babalola said his child was abducted June 12 2023.

According to an emotional Mrs. Babalola: “They’ve changed his name from David to Chijoke. But I give thanks to God. He was 2 and half years when he was abducted but he’s over five years now. He didn’t really recognize me again. But you know, I recognized him immediately I set my eyes on him.

“It actually happened on June 12, 2023. That man they arrested (Lukman), his mother’s shop was beside mine in Osogbo, Osun State.  So, on that faithful day, around 7PM, I was making my customer’s hair. So, David and his brother (Daniel) were playing at the neighbour’s shop.

“So, I heard Daniel’s voice and I suspected that somebody was giving them something. I called him, asked who was offering them something and he told me that it was Mama Abuja (that is, my neighbour) and his son, Lukman (arrested suspect).

“Immediately, I directed him to go call his brother for me but returned without finding him. I had to go there myself and asked the woman but she denied seeing her at all. It was unimaginable.

“Afterwards, we went to the police station to report and engaged in self-searching but all efforts provided abortive. I appreciate God and the police for the rescue.”