The Ogun State Police Command has dismantled a child trafficking and illegal surrogacy syndicate operating under the cover of an orphanage, rescuing seven children and arresting five suspects in a major operation that exposed the planned sale of babies for ₦1.5 million each.
The breakthrough followed investigations by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) after a report of child abduction was transferred from Idanyin Divisional Headquarters.
The case began on November 28, 2025, when a woman identified as Amara reported the abduction of her six-year-old son, Samuel Honesty. Preliminary investigations led to the arrest and prosecution of two suspects, after which the case was escalated to the SCID for further inquiry.
On January 21, 2026, the missing child resurfaced at Gowon Police Station in Lagos, where he disclosed that he had been taken to Joyful Kids Orphanage in Badagry and identified the operator, popularly known as Madam Joy.
Acting on the information, police operatives raided the facility, rescuing six additional children and bringing the total number of rescued minors to seven. The children, aged between six and nine years, have since been secured, with Samuel Honesty reunited with his mother.
Police also discovered two pregnant teenagers at the facility, who confessed to being recruited to carry pregnancies for the purpose of selling their babies to pre-arranged buyers at ₦1.5 million per child.
The principal suspect, Joy Chiedozie, 36, was arrested during the operation. She reportedly confessed to purchasing the abducted child for ₦1.5 million—paying ₦900,000 in cash and ₦600,000 through a bank transfer to an accomplice identified as Kelly—before reselling the child to a buyer now at large.
Investigations further revealed that the orphanage driver, Yusuf Adebowale, 31, allegedly acted as an uncertified surrogate agent, linking pregnant girls with prospective buyers. Other suspects arrested include two 18-year-olds and a 16-year-old.
The remaining six rescued children have been handed over to the Ogun State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for protective care, welfare assessment, and family tracing.
Speaking on the development, the Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, CP Lanre Ogunlowo, said the Command has zero tolerance for child trafficking, illegal adoption, and the exploitation of vulnerable persons. He urged members of the public to report suspicious orphanage operations and trafficking activities to security agencies.
Police said efforts are ongoing to arrest fleeing suspects, trace financial transactions linked to the syndicate, and dismantle the wider trafficking network.
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