The Zone 2 Police Command in Onikan, Lagos, has dismantled a notorious syndicate involved in the abduction and illegal sale of children to Nigerians both within the country and overseas.
The operation led to the arrest of eight suspects, including two teachers, and the rescue of five children from various homes where they had been sold.
However, tracing the children’s biological parents has proven difficult, as some were abducted as infants, with one reportedly stolen at just two weeks old.
Police investigations revealed that some of the suspects had facilitated the sale of children to individuals in the United States and Italy.
In a shocking revelation, one of the suspects, 22-year-old Somtochukwu Onyemaechi, admitted to selling her own one-year-old son for ₦800,000.
She was, however, stunned to discover that her relative, who acted as the middleman, had resold the child for ₦1.5 million.
Speaking at a press briefing over the weekend, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ajao Adewale stated that the breakthrough came on January 8, 2025, following an intelligence report.
Acting on the directive of Assistant Inspector-General of Police Fayoade Adegoke, the Zonal Anti-Corruption Unit, led by CSP Ngozi Braide, tracked and arrested the suspects.
The suspects were identified as:
Ibezim Chioma – key supplier
Sunday Ochim – middleman
Sunday Okputu – child supplier
Sunday Faith – seller
Chinaza Echelibe – caregiver
Ifekwuna Ngozi – buyer
Nwakuba Helen – caregiver
Bada Adeniyi – seller
Rescued Children and Their Stories
- Marvelous Obi (1-year-old) – Stolen as a newborn and sold to Mrs. Ibezim Chioma, who later resold him to Ken Obi and Marina Oluchi Appulus, a couple residing in Italy. The child was kept under the care of Chinasa Echelibe in Nigeria.
- Promise Ifekwuna (3-year-old) – Sold in 2021 by Sunday Okputu to Mrs. Ibezim Chioma, who then transferred him to Mrs. Ngozi Ifekwuna for ₦500,000.
- Somtochukwu Onyemaechi (1-year-old) – His biological mother, Faith Sunday, sold him in September 2024 through Ibezim Chioma and Sunday Okputu. The buyer, a resident of Alausa, Ikeja, later sent the child to Owerri, where he was found in the care of Nwakuba Helen. Helen, employed as a nanny, claimed the boy was brought to her by her sister, Caroline Enwerem, who resides in California, USA.
- Chibuzomma Onyemaechi (3-year-old) – Found in the custody of Nwakuba Helen in Owerri, allegedly brought to her as a newborn by her sister in the U.S.
- Praise Chukwudi Ibezim (6-year-old) – Bought directly by the prime suspect, Ibezim Chioma, for ₦800,000. He was reportedly taken from Mbaise, Imo State, at just one week old.
According to the police, the syndicate operated with precision, fulfilling specific orders from potential buyers.
The key supplier, Sunday Okputu, reportedly had no moral reservations about abducting unattended children if demand was high.
One of the most disturbing aspects of the case was the role played by Faith Sunday, who sold her biological child.
She cited extreme poverty as her reason for taking such a drastic step.
“I was not married, and when I got pregnant, I couldn’t take care of my child. I asked my relative to find a buyer. After the sale, he gave me ₦800,000, but I later found out he sold my baby for ₦1.5 million,” she confessed.
The Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr. Mobolaji Abubakar, received the rescued children and assured that they would undergo medical evaluations before being placed in protective care.
He stated that the children would go through a structured nine-step process before any legal adoption could take place.
However, in the case of the child whose mother willingly sold him, the ministry may hand him over to a responsible family relative if one comes forward.
“If no relative claims him within a specified period, the government will assume responsibility for his welfare.”
The police vowed to continue their investigations to identify and dismantle any remaining networks linked to the syndicate.
