Police smash trafficking syndicate, rescue missing child

The Ondo State Police Command says it has dismantled a child trafficking ring operating across the state, as well as Delta and Anambra States.

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The operation also resulted in the rescue of a missing child.

According to a statement by the police spokesperson, Olayinka Ayanlade, the case began on 3rd February, when one Sunday Kingsley of Alagbaka Extension, Akure, reported that his four-year-old daughter, Jesinta Sunday, who was living with his wife, Happiness Sunday, had gone missing.

He said the case was transferred to the Monitoring Unit, State Command Headquarters, for discreet investigation.

“In the course of proceedings, the matter was charged before the Family Magistrate Court, leading to the remand of the child’s mother, one Nneka Onah ‘f’, alongside Sunday Happiness ‘f’, at the Ondo Correctional Centre before they were later granted bail,” Mr Ayanlade said.

“While investigations continued, a breakthrough came on 9th July, 2025, when the complainant, Sunday Kingsley, returned to the station to report that the missing child had been sighted in Asaba, Delta State.

“Acting without delay, detectives of the Command’s Gender Desk Team moved into action, successfully recovering the child and bringing her back safely to Akure.”

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He said the operation also led to the arrest of one Amaka Chukwuemeka,30, who confessed that she had purchased the child for N3.7 million.

She further revealed that it was her friend, one Chinaza Owoh, 38 years, who introduced her to another woman, one Mabel Esimai, 58, who released the child to her under the guise of adoption, providing forged documents in the process.

This discovery prompted further investigation, leading to Mabel Esimai’s arrest.

Police said Ms Esimai disclosed during interrogation that she received the child from one Chioma Okechukwu, 37, with the instruction to find a buyer.

“These revelations exposed the activities of a well-organised trafficking syndicate whose operations extend across Ondo, Delta, and Anambra States, thereby highlighting the scale and reach of the criminal enterprise,” the police statement said.

Speaking on the development, the Commissioner of Police, Lawal Adebowale, praised the professionalism and diligence of the Command’s Gender Desk Team, whose swift and coordinated response ensured both the safe recovery of the child and the arrest of key suspects.

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He further directed the team to continue investigations to uncover all collaborators and to prosecute the suspects accordingly.

The incident is the second major breakthrough in exposing the activities of kidnappers involved in the illicit trade in children in the guise of operating orphanages

In January this year, the Ondo State Police Command arrested three suspects who allegedly kidnapped 14 children, including 10 toddlers.

The suspects are Lukman Isiaka, 42; Abosede Olanipekun and Sabira Izuorah, 62. Isiaka and Abosede were said to have stolen the babies from Ondo and Osun States and sold them to Izuorah, who reportedly ran an orphanage home at Ihiala, Anambra State, at the cost of N1 million each.

Police operatives stormed the orphanage in Anambra State to rescue the victims and arrest the 62-year-old suspect, who had allegedly sold some of the victims for N1 million to her customers.