(Mother Confesses to Selling Son for N1.5 Million Due to Hunger)
.The Zone 2 Police Command in Lagos has dismantled a notorious child-trafficking syndicate, arresting eight suspects, including a 22-year-old mother, Faith Sunday, who confessed to selling her one-year-old son for N1.5 million due to financial hardship.
Faith, who was paraded alongside other suspects at the command’s headquarters in Onikan over the weekend, admitted to selling her child in September 2024 through two accomplices, Ibezim Chioma and Sunday Okputu.
“I sold my son to a buyer in the Alissa area of Ikeja for N1.5 million. Hunger forced me into it, and I wanted to use the money to start a business,” she told the police.
The operation leading to the arrests was initiated following credible intelligence received by the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Adegoke Fayoad. Acting on the tip-off, the Zonal Anti-Crime Unit, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Ajao S. Adewale, launched an investigation that exposed the syndicate’s operations.
According to DCP Adewale, the syndicate specialized in the illegal trade of newborns, toddlers, and children of various ages. He disclosed that the network operated with defined roles: Sunday Okputu served as the main supplier, while Ibezim Chioma acted as the middlewoman, connecting sellers with potential buyers. Another suspect, Mrs. Chinasa Echellibe, was responsible for looking after the children while awaiting transactions.
The breakthrough in the case also led to the rescue of five children, including a one-year-old boy, Marvelous Obi, who was initially sold by Chioma when he was just a week old. Marvelous was later resold to two women—Mrs. Ken Obi and Mrs. Appulus Marina Oluchi—who is reportedly in Italy. He was found in the care of Chinasa Echellibe.
Another rescued victim, three-year-old Promise Ifekwuna, was reportedly sold for N500,000 in 2021 by Sunday Okputu to Mrs. Ifekwuna Ngozi. The police also found a child, Somtochukwu, in the custody of Nwakuba Helen Chinyere, who claimed she was only a nanny employed by her sister, Caroline Enwereji, who resides in California, USA.
DCP Adewale assured the public that efforts were ongoing to dismantle other human trafficking networks operating within the region. He also urged parents and guardians to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities to law enforcement agencies.
The suspects are expected to face charges related to human trafficking and child endangerment as investigations continue.
