
NIGERIAN COUPLE JAILED OVER ATTEMPT TO SMUGGLE ORPHANED BABY INTO UK
A Nigerian couple has been sentenced to prison in the United Kingdom after attempting to smuggle an orphaned baby girl into the country using forged documents.
Raphael Ossai and Oluwakemi Olasanoye were arrested at Manchester Airport when Border Force officers noticed suspicious behavior between the couple and the infant they claimed as their own.
Initial checks uncovered discrepancies, prompting a deeper investigation. Ossai presented a birth certificate listing Olasanoye as the mother, but officers discovered a second birth certificate in their luggage naming Ossai’s British wife as the child’s mother.
This sparked a complex inquiry into the child’s true identity, which remains unresolved. DNA testing later confirmed that the child, known as Lucy (a pseudonym given by authorities), was not biologically related to Ossai, Olasanoye, or Ossai’s British wife.
Investigations revealed that Lucy was born in rural Nigeria in September 2022 and placed in an orphanage shortly after birth by her young student mother.
Ossai and Olasanoye pleaded guilty to immigration offenses and were sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by deportation.
Court proceedings revealed that while Ossai and his wife had sought to adopt a child and had received permission to foster Lucy, they did not have the legal right to adopt or remove her from Nigeria.
Social workers reported signs of serious neglect after Lucy’s arrival in the UK, describing her as emotionally withdrawn, underfed, and struggling with attachment.
Ossai and his wife appealed to the High Court to be considered as Lucy’s carers, citing concerns over her cultural identity if placed with white foster families, but the court rejected their application.
Justice Sir Jonathan Cohen ruled that the couple’s deception and unlawful actions had caused Lucy “very significant emotional harm” and ordered that she be placed for adoption within the UK.
Lucy, who has been moved between multiple foster homes since her arrival, will be provided with information about her heritage as part of her upbringing.
The Nigerian High Commission was said not to have responded to repeated requests for assistance during the High Court proceedings, leaving questions about Lucy’s full background unanswered.
The Home Office declined to comment on the individuals’ deportation status but reiterated its commitment to removing foreign nationals who break the law.