POLICE ARREST THREE SUSPECTS, RESCUE 14 KIDNAPPED CHILDREN IN ONDO

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The Ondo State Police Command has arrested three suspects for allegedly kidnapping 14 children, including 10 toddlers and four babies.

The suspects, identified as Lukman Isiaka (42), Abosede Olanipekun, and Sabira Izuorah (62), were accused of abducting the children from Ondo and Osun States.

It was learned that Isiaka and Abosede reportedly sold the children to Izuorah, who allegedly operated an orphanage in Ihiala, Anambra State, for ₦1 million per child.

The Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Wilfred Afolabi, paraded the suspects on Friday at the command’s headquarters in Akure, the state capital.

According to the commissioner, intelligence-led operations led officers to raid the orphanage in Anambra State, where the victims were rescued, and the 62-year-old suspect was apprehended. It was further alleged that Izuorah had sold some of the children under her care for ₦1 million each to her clients.

He said, “The Ondo State Police Command has apprehended a syndicate specialising in child stealing and trafficking. A case of a missing child was reported at Okuta Elerin-Nla Division in Akure.

“A complainant reported that a man, Samuel Adejobi (real name Lukman Isiaka, aged 42), and a woman, Ewatomi (real name Abosede Olanipekun), came to her shop pretending to be siblings. While eating and playing with her child, Abosede deceived the complainant by claiming she wanted to buy biscuits for the baby.

“Meanwhile, Lukman distracted the complainant by engaging her in a personal conversation and lured her to Olukayode Plaza in the market under the pretext of buying a mobile phone. Upon returning to her shop,
she discovered that her child was missing, and there was no trace of Abosede or Lukman. A report was immediately filed at the division.

“Through intelligence-led policing, the suspects were traced to Ottah Village in Edo State, where they were arrested. During interrogation, the suspects confessed to abducting the child and other children from Ondo and Osun States, selling them to one Sabira Izuorah (female, aged 62) in Ihiala, Anambra State, at the rate of ₦1 million per child. Subsequently, Sabira was arrested in Ihiala, and the children were found in her custody.”

Afolabi added that all the suspects would be charged in court upon the completion of the investigation.