I get N500, 000 for each child I abduct – Bricklayer makes shocking revelation

A bricklayer who was arrested as part of a child abduction ring in Ondo State has revealed that he receives N500,000 for each child he helps to abduct.

The suspect, along with a couple and a 62-year-old grandmother, Sabira Izuorah, were detained by the Ondo State Police Command for allegedly kidnapping 14 children, including four babies.

The abducted children, ages ranging from one week to two months old, as well as 10 other children aged between two and seven years, were reportedly taken by the syndicate for illegal trade.

According to sources, Izuorah operates an illicit orphanage where the stolen children are kept before being sold.

The arrests followed a report about a missing child in Akure, the state capital.

Upon investigation, it was revealed that Izuorah, who falsely claimed to be a retired director from the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs in Anambra State, had received the children from the couple, Isiaka and Abosede Lukman.

In a shocking revelation, the grandmother admitted to receiving the children from the Lukmans, who were part of a three-member syndicate involved in the abduction and trafficking of minors.

Izuorah said, “I have a registered orphanage. I took care of children. The name of my orphanage is Clarion Children’s Care and Reforms Initiatives. It started full operation in 2020.

“Lukman and his wife brought a total of 11 children to me. I do not pay them. It is the adopting parents who pay them. The adopting parents do not pay me. They give us food items and supplies.

“I stopped Lukman and his wife from bringing children for me in November 2024. All the children were no longer with me. But I went to recover them from their adopting parents. It did not start with me, and it will not end with me.”

Also speaking, Lukman, who identified himself as a bricklayer, admitted to being involved in the child abduction scheme since 2023.

He claimed that Izuorah, the 62-year-old grandmother, introduced him and his wife to the illegal trade after he moved from Ondo State to work in Anambra.

Lukman revealed that Izuorah paid him N500,000 for each child he abducted, which she then sold to buyers for over N1 million. He also confessed that he had been involved in stealing children since 2023.

“I have given a total of 11 children to Izuorah. The method my wife and I use to steal the children is, when we see any children roaming about, we call them and say we will buy soft drinks and biscuits for them.

After telling them that, they will follow us. After walking for about 10 minutes, we will take bike (a commercial motor cycle) to the park where we will board a vehicle to Anambra State to give Izuorah the children.

“She normally gives us N500, 000 for each child that we bring to her. I met Izuorah when we went to Anambra to work. I’m a bricklayer. She was the one who introduced me to the business after training me. Since then, I have been giving her children.

“I don’t know anything about the two-month-old and four-month-old babies. She is the one who can say where she got them from. I only operate in Akure, Ondo State, and Ilesa, Osun State.”

Giving detail of their arrest, the state police commissioner, Wilfred Afolabi said: “A complainant reported that a man, Samuel Adejobi (real name Lukman Isiaka) and a woman, Ewatomi (Abosede Olanipekun), came to her shop to eat.

“While playing with the complainant’s child, Abosede deceived her by claiming she wanted to buy biscuits for the baby.

“Meanwhile, Lukman distracted the complainant by engaging her in a personal conversation and requested she followed her to Olukayode plaza in the market to get a mobile phone.

“On getting to the market area, he abandoned her and left. When the complainant returned to the shop, she discovered that her child was missing, with no trace of Abosede, the supposed sister of the man she followed to the market.

“Thus, a report was made at the Division.

“During interrogation, the suspects admitted to abducting the child and other children from Ondo and Osun states and selling them to Sabira Izuorah, aged 62 years, in Ihiala, Anambra State, at the rate of N1 million per child.”

The police commissioner confirmed that several children are still missing, and efforts are actively underway to locate and rescue them.