The women above are Grace
Onye (r) ( a 52-year old woman who buys kidnapped children) and her friend who
needed a child.
Onye (r) ( a 52-year old woman who buys kidnapped children) and her friend who
needed a child.
Detectives at the State Criminal Investigation Department,
Panti, Yaba, Lagos, western Nigeria have intensified efforts to recover all the
stolen babies allegedly bought by an Onitsha-based human trafficker who was
arrested in Lagos last Monday for purchasing a stolen two-year old baby.
Panti, Yaba, Lagos, western Nigeria have intensified efforts to recover all the
stolen babies allegedly bought by an Onitsha-based human trafficker who was
arrested in Lagos last Monday for purchasing a stolen two-year old baby.
This followed the confessional statement made by the
trafficker, Mrs. Grace Onye, 52. Onye told the police that she specialises in
the illegal business of buying babies in Lagos for sale to those who required
them.
trafficker, Mrs. Grace Onye, 52. Onye told the police that she specialises in
the illegal business of buying babies in Lagos for sale to those who required
them.
In her confession, she admitted that it was not her first
time of coming to Lagos to buy babies, adding that she had been coming to Lagos
to buy babies in the past three years. She told the police that she sold all
the babies to those in need, especially barren women.
time of coming to Lagos to buy babies, adding that she had been coming to Lagos
to buy babies in the past three years. She told the police that she sold all
the babies to those in need, especially barren women.
She was arrested along with her customer, 45-year old Mrs.
Ngozi Ikeh who is barren and needed a child.
Ngozi Ikeh who is barren and needed a child.
They were arrested at Ikotun in the morning while going back
to Ontisha with a stolen baby sold to them for N300,000 by their contact man who
is now at large.
to Ontisha with a stolen baby sold to them for N300,000 by their contact man who
is now at large.
The suspects confessed that they had a contact man simply
identified as Samuel who usually lodged them at Francis Inn Hotel located at
Abiola Adeyemi Street, Igando Road, Ikotun whenever they are in Lagos to buy
babies. Grace confessed further that it was in that hotel that Samuel brought
the baby and collected N300,000.
identified as Samuel who usually lodged them at Francis Inn Hotel located at
Abiola Adeyemi Street, Igando Road, Ikotun whenever they are in Lagos to buy
babies. Grace confessed further that it was in that hotel that Samuel brought
the baby and collected N300,000.
Joy Olowolade, the two-year old stolen baby was allegedly
kidnapped at 6, Oladunjoye Street, off Igando Road, Ikotun Lagos.
kidnapped at 6, Oladunjoye Street, off Igando Road, Ikotun Lagos.
Samuel abducted the baby at the stated address in a dramatic
form around 4 p.m. on Monday when he threw a banger in the compound where Joy
was playing with other kids.
form around 4 p.m. on Monday when he threw a banger in the compound where Joy
was playing with other kids.
The sound of the banger caused confusion in the compound and
the children ran away in different directions. When the dust settled, Joy was
nowhere to be found.
the children ran away in different directions. When the dust settled, Joy was
nowhere to be found.
Her elder sister, Eniola Olowolade, after a frantic search
for her, alerted her parents, Ayodele and Funke Olowolade, of her disappearance.
for her, alerted her parents, Ayodele and Funke Olowolade, of her disappearance.
Funke explained that one of her neighbours confirmed that
she saw the man who snatched the baby during the confusion that greeted the
explosion of the banger.
she saw the man who snatched the baby during the confusion that greeted the
explosion of the banger.
Olowolade and neighbours later arranged themselves in groups
to look for the missing baby. They searched for Joy in every house and street
in the neighbourhoods but could not find her.
to look for the missing baby. They searched for Joy in every house and street
in the neighbourhoods but could not find her.
Narrating her experience, Funke stated: “It all happened
like a dream, Joy told me she was hungry
and I was preparing her food when she went out to play with her friends
in the compound. Within the twinkling of an eye Eniola rushed in to tell us
that somebody threw a banger in the compound and everybody ran away. She said
she didn’t see Joy when the commotion died down.
like a dream, Joy told me she was hungry
and I was preparing her food when she went out to play with her friends
in the compound. Within the twinkling of an eye Eniola rushed in to tell us
that somebody threw a banger in the compound and everybody ran away. She said
she didn’t see Joy when the commotion died down.
“We searched all the nooks and crannies till midnight. She
was nowhere to be found,” Funke said.
was nowhere to be found,” Funke said.
At about 4 a.m. the following day, the Olowolades and their
neighours moved round the streets again looking for Joy. They saw a woman
walking briskly and carrying a baby on her back with her friend. Somebody
shouted the name of the missing baby and Joy answered ‘ma.’
neighours moved round the streets again looking for Joy. They saw a woman
walking briskly and carrying a baby on her back with her friend. Somebody
shouted the name of the missing baby and Joy answered ‘ma.’
Immediately the baby answered, the trafficker and her friend
ran. They tried to drop the baby but they were caught by the rescuers. They
were beaten and later handed over to the police at Ikotun division who
transferred them to the SCID for further investigation.
ran. They tried to drop the baby but they were caught by the rescuers. They
were beaten and later handed over to the police at Ikotun division who
transferred them to the SCID for further investigation.
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