Three suspects allegedly involved in child trafficking have been arrested by men of the Ondo State Police Command following a sting operation.

The three-member child trafficking syndicate, identified as Lukman Isiaka, 43; Abosede Olanipekun, 23; and Sabira Izuorah, 68, were apprehended with no fewer than 14 babies and toddlers stolen from Akure, the state capital, and Ilesa, Osun State.

The babies and toddlers were recovered from the ‘orphanage’ of Izuorah in Ihiala, Anambra State, where they were trafficked by Lukman and Abosede, who are both a couple.

Three-week-old, two-week-old, and two-month-old newborns were among those taken. Izuorah, who stated that he was retired as a Director from the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Anambra State, acknowledged receiving the children from the couple while being paraded at the police headquarters in Akure. “I have a registered orphanage,” she stated. I looked after kids.

Clarion Children’s Care and Reforms Initiatives is the name of my orphanage, which opened for business in 2020.

“Lukman and his spouse brought me eleven kids in all. The adoptive parents are the ones who pay them, not me. The adoptive parents provide us with materials and food, but they do not pay me.In November 2024, I prevented Lukman and his spouse from bringing me children. I went to retrieve the children from their adoptive parents, even though none of them were with me anymore.

I was not the beginning of it, and I will not be the end. When Lukman, a bricklayer, moved Ondo State to work in Anambra, Izuorah introduced him and his wife to the illegal trade, he admitted to being involved in the crime since 2023.

He claims that Izuorah consistently gave him N500,000 for each child, which she then marketed to potential buyers for N1 million and more. “I have been stealing children since 2023,” he said. Izuorah has received eleven children from me in total. When my wife and I are out and we spot a child wandering around, we call them and offer to buy them biscuits and soft drinks as a way to kidnap them.They will follow us after we tell them that. After ten or so minutes of walking, we will ride our bikes to the park and then take a car to Anambra State to drop off the kids at Izuorah.

Every child we bring to her usually receives N500,000 from her. Izuorah and I met while working in Anambra. I work as a bricklayer. After training me, she referred me to the company, and I have been taking care of her kids ever since. “I do not know anything about the two-month-old and four-month-old babies,” she said. The only person who knows where she obtained them is her. I exclusively do business in Ilesa, Osun State, and Akure, Ondo State.

The Commissioner of Police in the State, Wilfred Afolabi, who hailed the spirited effort of the police operatives in rescuing the victims, stated that intelligence-led policing made the operation a success when Lukman and Abosede were traced to Ottah village in Edo State, where they were arrested.

Afolabi added that the arrested couple led the police operatives to Anambra State, where Izuorah was arrested and moved to Akure.

“A case of a missing child was reported at Okuta Elerin-Nla Division in Akure. A complainant reported that 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 that she follow him to Olukayode Plaza in the market to get a mobile phone. On getting to the market area, he abandoned her and left. When the complainant returned to the shop, she 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.

“During interrogation, the suspects admitted to abducting the child and other children from Ondo and Osun States and selling them to Sabira Izuorah, aged 62 years, in Ihiala, Anambra State, at the rate of One Million Naira (₦1,000,000) per child.”

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