Human Trafficking: Lagos Police Arrest Fake Grandma, Haunt Woman over Death of Minor

Rebecca Ejifoma

The Lagos State Police Command, Bariga Police Division, has arrested a ‘fake grandmother’, Mrs. Funmilayo, and a child trafficker, Adepeju Solomon, for allegedly selling two brothers aged nine and 13 as well as inflicting injury on one with a hot knife as punishment.

The grandma and the trafficker were arrested on August 8 after one of the brothers, David, 9, was rescued on August 7 with the severe burnt injury he got on his left arm as punishment for buying biscuit with N50 he received from their guest.

The little boy and pupil of Akoka primary school, who lived at 87, Finbarr’s College road, Bariga, with the woman, was found with rashes (ringworm) all over his head coupled with the untreated injury.

Meanwhile, the state police command and Child Protection Network Lagos are on the hunt of one Ada Samuel Onyengo following the brutal death and swift burial of 12 years old, Ifunnaya Ugueli, last night in the home of her serial physical abuser.

The late Ifunanya’s was a primary four pupil of Kusoru Primary School at Ilasamaja, Lagos before her abrupt death on July 20. Onyengo was said to have constantly beaten her on her head with stirring stick.

Before Ifunanya’s death, she was said to have written a letter of complaint at the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) office after her school saw her with swollen eyes. When the aunt was summoned, she claimed Ifunanya had malaria and typhoid.

Child Protection Network (CPN) Coordinator for Isolo-Shomolu, Mr. Ebenezer Omejalile, said one week after she was returned to her home, she was reported dead. “I spoke with this child three weeks ago. She was pleading that I shouldn’t send her aunt to prison.”

He told THISDAY that SUBEB was said to have given her back to her abuser to do an undertaken never to beat the child again and to further treat the child well, so “I was shocked when I got the report that the little girl died last week and was buried immediately.”

In a swift response on Wednesday evening, the DPO of Ago station, CSP Oyin Adamu, mobilised a team of policemen, rescuers from CPN and THISDAY to the resident at 107 Femi Killa Street, Ilasamaja, but the alleged abuser and her husband were not at home, however, the hunt to get them arrested is still on.

On the fake grandmother, Mrs. Funmilayo, according to the Child Protection Network Coordinator of Shomolu and rescuer, Toyin Okanlawon, “David had bought biscuit with the N50 grandma’s visitor gave him. That was his offence. Grandma was upset. So, he lacerated his left arm with a hot knife to serve as punishment.”

However, Mrs. Funmilayo who is currently at the Bariga Police custody, denied burning David’s arm with a hot knife. She claimed: “He fell on a burning stove when I was beating him.”

The case has been transferred to gender unit at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters, Ikeja, for further investigation. “Bariga officers are on their way right now to gender unit with the perpetrators.”