The Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, at the Lagos State
Police Command has smashed a syndicate of four women who specialise in selling
children in the state.
The suspects, identified as
Fausat Ogidan, Abibatu Oresanya, Idiatu Abbas and Bola Obajuruwa, were
said to have met their nemesis when they attempted to sell a six-year-old girl
for N350,000. .
It was gathered that the Commissioner of Police, Lagos
State Police Command, Mr Umar Manko, had directed the Officer-in-Charge of
SARS, SP Abba Kyari, to go after the syndicate, after receiving an intelligence
report on their activities.
Sources at the state command headquarters, Ikeja, further
disclosed that Kyari, however, deployed a team of undercover operatives to
bargain with one of the child sellers, Ogidan, who said she had a child for
sale at N650, 000.
The source added that an arrangement was made for the woman
to bring the child to Mobil filling station, Gbagada, along Oshodi-Oworonshoki
Expressway where she would be paid.
According to the source, “she appeared with a child and money
was handed over to her. As she was walking away, operatives who were on
standby, apprehended her with the marked money.”
The suspect, Fausat Ogidan, who lives in Bariga confessed to
Police that the child was given to her by one Bola Obajuruwa a.k.a Iyalaje who
lives in Agege.
Iyalaje was also arrested and she confessed that the child
was given to her by Idayat Abbas, a.k.a.
Iya Ghana who was also arrested, and confessed that the child was given to her
by her elder sister, Abibat Oresanya,
a.k.a. Iya Lanre who lives at
Ibafo, Ogun State.
She was also arrested and confessed that the child was given
to her by somebody in Ibadan who is still at large.
The stolen child gave her name as Yetunde, but the
child-selling cabal called her by another name, Blessing. The girl did not know
her father’s name nor could she give her mother’s name. She said she is nine
years.
The child was given to the first suspect, Ogidan by Bola for
N350,000, while Ogidan decided to sell her for N650,000.
Fausat Ogidan, 51, from Ondo State, said in her confession:
“I live at 29, Alade Street, Shomolu. I’m a divorcee. I have three children.
I’m a traditional healer. The Police arrested me because I wanted to sell the
child for N650,000. I took the child from Bola Obajuruwa. Bola said I should
pay N350,000. This is my first time of doing such business. I told the person
that a man wanted to buy the baby because his wife did not have a child.”
For Abibatu Oresanya, 48, from Ijebu, Ogun State, and
resident of 21, Salau Dodo Street, Ibafo, Ogun State, a trader in wines said
the Police arrested her because of a child.
She said: “One of my friends gave me the child. Her name is
Adenike, a.k.a. De Gold. She lives in Ibadan. She said I should find somebody
who the girl could work for as househelp. I gave her to my sister, Idiyat, to
give to my friend, Iyalaje, as househelp because Iyalaje said she needed a
househelp. She paid me N100,000 through my sister.”
The suspect, who claimed to be married with seven children, could
not respond to a question on why she did not give out any of her children for
sale or househelp.
“It is about two years now since the transaction was made.
Also, Idiyat Abbas, 40, from Ijebu, Ogun State but resident
in Ghana as she is married to a Ghanaian, confessed: “I have five children. The
Police arrested me after I was called from Ghana to come to Lagos, Nigeria.
“It’s because of the child I gave to Obajuruwa Bola. Bola
paid me N105, 000. I gave my sister, Abibat, N100,000. It was only N5,000 I
retained from the money.”
Also Bola Obajuruwa, 48, from Ilaje, Ondo State and resident
of 6, Atanbaje Street, Agege said: “I am married, I have four children and I
sell herbs. Police arrested me because of the girl Abibat Abbas brought to me,
for which I paid N105,000.”
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