Child Traffickers Arrested for Kidnapping, Selling Baby at N300,000

Rebecca Ejifoma

The Lagos State Police Command have arrested three child trafficking syndicates, Joy Okoye, 28, for kidnapping and selling two -year-old- baby girl from Olodi Apapa, Lagos for N300,000 to one Ms. Uju Obieze, 40 in Delta State.

Okoye of 64 Kirikiri street, Olodi Apapa, was said to have connived with one Amarachi, who is currently at large. They stole and sold the child for N300, 000 to Obieze of 8 Okwe road, Asaba, Delta State and Ifeyinwa Ezene, 46, of 2, Eze Bishop Street, Onitsha, Anambra State. They then resold the baby to Ifeoma Okoye in Enugu.

The Lagos Police Spokesman, CSP Chike Oti, said the three child traffickers have been arrested and currently in police custody, the survivor has been reunited with her family after she was rescued in Enugu.

The police was said to have arrested the syndicate after the Command received a complaint on first of May this year from Mr. Nwoagbo Ekene of 27, Test Oluwale street, Olodi Apapa, that on same date, at 11:am his two-year-old daughter suddenly disappeared and all efforts made to trace her proved abortive.

Based on his complaint, the State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, directed the officer in charge of the anti-kidnapping squad, SP Musa Bulus, to use all the assets at his disposal to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of the little girl.

Oti added: “In the course of investigation, Okoye was arrested in connection with the case. The suspect revealed that she and the said Amarachi (surname unknown), who is still at large, carried out the plan.”

Hence, the detectives were said to have proceeded to Asaba. “They arrested Uju on September 13 in Asaba. She confessed to have bought the child from Okoye but added that the deal was done jointly with Ifeyinwa in Anambra State”.

“Upon her confession, Ifeyinwa was apprehended and she confessed to the crime. She added that the child had been resold to one Ifeoma Okoye, female, who lives in Enugu,”Oti added.

Therefore, the trio led detectives to 40, Amaechi street off Agbani road, Enugu on September 14, 2018. Oti said: “The victim was rescued from the relatives of the said Ifeoma Okoye who were mourning her, having died a week earlier”.

While the PRO noted that the little girl has since been reunited with her parents, he confirmed that the suspects would be charged to court on October 3 this year.