It was only after their arrest that they admitted selling my child to a woman in Anambra - Mother
According to Vanguard, Parents of 14 children, including four infants, stolen and later rescued by the Ondo State Police Command, have shared harrowing accounts of their experiences during the period their children were missing. The police had earlier arrested three suspects: a couple, Isaaka and Abosede Lukman, and a 62-year-old grandmother, Sabira Izuorah, for their involvement in the abduction and sale of the children.
The victims, aged between one week and seven years, were allegedly lured away with snacks and soft drinks before being sold. According to police reports, the couple sold each child to the grandmother for ₦500,000, who then resold them for ₦1 million. The grandmother reportedly operated an illegal orphanage where the children were kept until buyers were found.
One of the mothers, Mrs. Babalola Salome, a hairdresser, recounted how her son, David, was abducted in June 2023 when he was just two and a half years old. “The suspect, Lukman, and his mother had a shop next to mine in Osogbo, Osun State. On that day, around 7 p.m., I was working on a customer’s hair while David and his brother were playing nearby. Suddenly, David disappeared,” she said.
Salome explained that Lukman’s mother denied any knowledge of David’s whereabouts, and all efforts to locate him proved futile. “It’s been over two years since he was taken, and when I finally saw him after the rescue, he didn’t recognize me. They had changed his name to Chijoke,” she added.
Another mother, Mrs. Alarape Abosede, narrated how her son, Daodu, was stolen on October 31, 2023. She revealed that Abosede Lukman had previously been her neighbor before moving away. “One day, she called me, saying she wanted to visit. I welcomed her and even took her to get her hair done. I left my child nearby, but when I returned, he was gone,” she said.
Abosede revealed that she had been searching for her son across different states, including Delta and Edo, before the suspects were arrested. “It was only after their arrest that they admitted selling my child to a woman in Anambra,” she said.
Another victim’s mother, Asiata Atilola, shared how the suspect deceived her into trusting her. “The woman rented a house near us and became friendly with everyone. One day, she offered to buy bread for my children, but when I returned from the kitchen, she had taken my son,” Asiata said.
Asiata revealed that her attempts to contact the suspect were futile as the phone number she provided became unreachable. “I only learned in December that she had been arrested. When I confronted her, she admitted to taking my son but claimed he had already been sold,” she said tearfully.
The arrested grandmother, Sabira Izuorah, admitted to receiving the stolen children but promised to assist the police in tracking down the buyers.
The police are continuing investigations to locate the remaining children, while the rescued victims are being reunited with their families.