Police Smash Baby Selling Syndicate, Recovers 5 Babies, 7 Suspects Remanded
PAUL IYOGHOJIE
The men of Nigeria Police Zone 2 Command, Lagos led by AIG Adegoke Fayoade have arrested seven suspects who allegedly specialised in the buying and reselling of stolen babies.
Police identified the suspects as Ibezim Chioma, 57: Chinasa Echelibe, 52; Sunday Okputu, 45: and Ngozi Ekwuna. Others included Ngozi Ifekwuna, 52; Faith Sunday, 21; Sunday Ochim, 45 and Nwakuba Helen Chinyere, 64.
The Police succeeded in recovering five babies within the ages ranging from one year and three years from them.
Nemesis allegedly caught up with the suspects when AIG Adegoke Fayoade swung into action after he received a credible tip off from concerned Nigerians that some persons were involved in the selling and buying of babies in Lagos.
Following the information, AIG Fayoade swiftly directed his crack team to fish out the suspects anywhere they might be residing in Lagos and the police team succeeded in arresting seven of the suspects at their various hideout through intelligence and tracking. They recovered those five babies from all the suspects allegedly bought and resold from them.
Police alleged that the suspects, Ibezim Chioma and Chinasa Echelibe allegedly bought baby, Marvellous Obi, a one year old child in Lagos for the purpose of having custody of him as there lawful child, while Sunday Okputu, Ibezim Chioma, and Ngozi Ifekwuna bought and resold three-year old baby Promise Ifekwuna.
Police alleged that Faith Sunday and Sunday Ochim in 2024 in Lagos sold baby Somtochukwu Onyemaechi, a one year old child to Ibezim Chioma, while Nwakuba Helen Chinyere bought and resold Chibuzorrunma, a three-year old child, while Ibezim Chioma and others bought and resold Chukwudi Ibezim, a three-year old for the purpose of having custody of him.
After investigation by Friday Adejoh and his team, all the suspects were charged before the Igbosere Magistrates Court sitting at the Tinubu Magistrates Court on a six-count charges bordering on conspiracy and buying, selling of five babies for the purpose of having custody of the babies as their lawful child.
Police Counsel, Francis Igbinosa informed the court in the charge that the defendants committed the offence between 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2015 in Lagos.
Igbinosa told the Court that the defendants allegedly specialised in the buying and selling of babies before they were arrested through a tip off.
He said the offences the defendants committed is punishable under sections 26(a)(b) of the child rights law of Lagos State, 2007.
The defendants, however pleaded not guilty to the charges and the Chief Magistrate, Mr Adetunji directed that the defendants should file their bail applications and copied the Lagos State Department of Public Prosecution, DPP, adjourned the case till 28 February, 2025 for mention and ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional facility till the DPP’s response to the bail applications.
