Crime
Traffickers connive with Local Govt officials to sell baby for N400,000
I have boys as children; I only wanted to have a girl-child,” was the excuse given by Mrs Tina Raphael, a 60-year-old woman from Anambra State who was arrested by the Gombe State Police Command over her involvement in a case of suspected child trafficking.
In an interview with Saturday PUNCH, Raphael said she adopted the baby from a suspected trafficker she identified as Khadijah for N400,000, adding that she was introduced to the ailing child who was dying from malnutrition.
“I had been wanting to adopt a baby girl since January 1, 2024, and was told that one was available by Khadijah. The baby is one year old and she was not walking and was sick, so I asked her (Khadijah) to bring the baby to me to see what I could do to help her.
“After looking at the baby, I noticed that she was suffering from malnutrition and needed medical assistance; that’s why I asked her to bring the child after which I asked her how I could get legal papers for the custody of the baby since she works with social welfare (in the Ministry of Women Affairs) because she told me she works there.”
Narrating further, the 60-year-old woman disclosed that she was charged an amount for the documentation of the baby’s ownership and denied buying the baby.
“She (Khadijah) told me to bring N400,000 which I did. This happened on January 1, 2024, and I was hoping that she would come on Friday and hand over the papers to me, only for me to see her with police in my house and (the police) arrested me without the papers; that was how I got involved.
“I didn’t buy the baby with the money I gave her because she said she would hand over papers to me and that was what I had been waiting for,” Raphael added.
When our correspondent asked her whether she knew who the little girl’s mother was, she said she was told that the baby’s mother had died.
“The baby’s mother is dead and nobody is there to take care of her. She is sick and cannot walk and my husband welcomed the idea too because I have only male children,” she added.
Like Raphael, another resident of Gombe also from Anambra State, Ukamaka Ugo, who was also arrested for baby racketeering, claimed she was innocent.
Ugo said Khadijah had promised to ‘give’ her baby for a fee when they met in a market.
“There was a day I went to the market and met Khadijah carrying a baby girl on her back. We exchanged greetings and I told her that the baby she had on her back was beautiful and that I wished she could let me have her since I did not have any.
“She said she would not give me this one (the baby) but that she was a worker in the hospital with the social welfare department. She said any time she got a baby she would let me know,” she said.
Ugo told Saturday PUNCH that in April 2023, Khadijah informed her about a woman who recently had a baby but did not have money for the child’s well-being.
“Khadijah called in April 2023 that there was a girl and the mother was in the hospital, that she gave birth but didn’t have the resources to take care of the baby. When I heard what she said, I told her that I was interested.
She told me to buy some baby items and take them to the mother of the girl at the hospital so she (the baby’s mother) would hand the baby over to me. I gave her N50,000 to process everything,” she said.
While arguing that the child wasn’t sold, Ugo noted that the N50,000 included the child’s medication and other needs. She, however, admitted that the baby was later handed over to her to keep as hers.
“She (Khadijah) told me that she would not hand the baby over to me until she had processed everything at the social welfare office. She called me after a week on the phone and told me that she was through with the social welfare processes.
“When they came to carry the baby, she said the paper was not yet out from the social welfare office and that anytime that the paper was ready, she would hand it over to me.”
“After a week, I started training the baby like mine, that’s all I know. I didn’t steal any child; I thought I was dealing with the right person and from the right source because she told me she worked with the social welfare office,” she told our correspondent.
Ugo disclosed that the parents of the child had signed an undertaking to hand over the child to her.
“The mother of the baby, the grandmother, the baby’s father, and his brother all went to the social welfare (office) and signed that they had handed the baby over to me; that was why I agreed to take care of the baby. The N50,000 was for the delivery (hospital bill).”
But the family of the baby denied selling their child to the suspect. The father of the baby, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Saturday PUNCH that they chose to involve the police when Khadijah’s movement and actions became suspicious.
“We didn’t sell our daughter’s child, though we received some money from Khadijah. We were prevented from seeing the child, so we alerted the police because that was not what they (Khadijah) told us,” he added.
Babies not taken without parents’ consent – Khadijah
However, the prime suspect debunked the allegations of child theft and trafficking. Khadijah said she didn’t commit any crime. She told our correspondent that while she collaborated with some social welfare workers, none of the children were forcefully taken away from their families.
“I’m not a trafficker. I only linked the person who saw the baby with me to the social welfare (office).
“I didn’t sell any child but the person I linked them up with was given N400,000 and I gave the office N200,000 and got the other (half). I have never sold any baby before nor have I bought from anyone.
“None of the children were stolen; they unfortunately had poor parents who couldn’t take care of them or their mothers died. So, in such a case, the baby needed to be given ample support and care to survive,” she claimed.
Child abduction in Nigeria
Child abduction is fast becoming a major problem in Nigeria, with several cases reported in Gombe and other parts of the North.
In September 2020, the police in Gombe disclosed that they uncovered a human trafficking ring and rescued 12 children
“The suspect we have in our custody today took to her heels since 2017; she has been on the run, changing locations, and in her custody, we found 12 children from various locations.
“We can’t comfortably say they are all from Gombe. This breakthrough was done painstakingly by the combined team of the police and parents in conjunction with the state government because they provided all the logistics.”
In December, 2023, the police in Anambra State said they arrested a couple trafficking a one-month-old baby from Lagos. According to a statement issued by the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, the interception was made at the River Niger Bridgehead in Onitsha on December 17.
In June 2023, five children were rescued from two suspected child traffickers in Auchi, Edo State. The children, all girls, aged between seven and nine, who travelled unaccompanied, were said to have arrived at Auchi in the evening from Kaduna and were trying to establish contact with the two suspected female traffickers to take them to Onitsha before they were rescued.
In September 2021, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Makurdi Zonal Command, said it arrested two suspects in connection with the sale of babies in the state.
The Zonal Commander, Mrs Gloria Bai, who disclosed this in Makurdi, the state capital, said two young victims were taken from Gboko and sold out in Lagos.
Khadijah did not act alone – Police
The Gombe State Police command explained that Khadija colluded with 15 others, including staff of Gombe Local Government Area, involved in the sale of babies, stressing that they were arrested following an intelligence report received from the Barunde community.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mahid Abubakar, said, “The community claimed that sometime within last year, one Khadija Shehu-Manzo and 15 others were involved in selling young babies to people in need.
“Upon receipt of the report, detectives attached to Low-Cost Division swung into action where a full-blown investigation was carried out and the said Khadija was arrested.”
While Khadijah strongly denied her involvement in the crime, the police spokesman said, “The remaining suspects arrested confirmed that Shehu-Manzo allegedly sold two babies to Ukamaka Ugo on different occasions.
“Shehu-Manzo sold one child (for) N400,000 (and) out of the money (that came) from Tina Raphael, she gave N200,000 to one Haruna Abubakar, who is working with the social welfare (office in) Gombe in that he was going to make relevant documentation available for proper handing over of the child.
“Yahaya Sulaiman was the person who received the money on Abubakar’s behalf.
“Ukamaka Ugo bought two children; they are presently in Lagos and Anambra. We are working to see how to recover them as well,” he added.
Council official denies wrongdoing
But Abubakar, the Head of the Education and Social Development Department responsible for legitimising child adoption process in the Gombe Local Government Area, said the N200,000 he received from Khadijah was a gift and not a proceeds of crime.
The 50-year-old, “I work with the Gombe Local Government in the Education, Social Development Department. I was involved in a case through Hadisah (Khadijah) who came to our office to tell me that her sister was given a child for adoption and that they sent them to come to our office for us to document everything.”
“I told them since the mother of the child had passed away (died), she should invite the grandfather to come so that I can interview him. When he came, he said the same thing. So Hadisah (Khadijah) said she needed paper (documentation), but I objected saying there were procedures to getting a paper as there was a need to write applications for fostering, which included giving the paper to the ward head of their area to sign,
“It also included the passport of the woman who needed the child and the husband before one can proceed and it must be addressed to the Chairman of the Gombe Local Government Area then we can process the document to give you paper.”
On the alleged sum received, Abubakar added, “I told her to apply for the letter as we couldn’t give her the paper without proof. The money she gave I used N20,000 out of the money to give to the grandfather, and the rest (was) for us to share.
“She didn’t bring the application. I didn’t charge her N200,000; she decided to give me the money, I didn’t charge her anything as we don’t charge to process documents.”
When contacted by our correspondent, the state coordinator of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Aminu Shira, declined comment.
He said, “After completing the investigation, we will call the media for a briefing. Anything I tell you will tamper with it (the investigation).”
Child adoption without due process is human trafficking, says HRC
However, the Human Rights Commission taking custody of a child without following the process back by law was tantamount to human trafficking.
Speaking with our correspondent, the Public Relations Officer of the Gombe officer of the NHC, Alola Alfinti, said, “You can’t just pick someone from the street or just take a child and adopt them. There are laid down procedures, and legal processes up to a court.
“You can have legal custody of a child if you follow the process but there are gatekeepers in the state when it comes to this, including the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development which has a registry. If you go there, they would give you the child but you would have to complete the court processes.”
Alfinti, explained that a child adoption process could take many years to complete.
“I remember there was a time when one child was adopted in Gombe. It took about 10 years and they (foster parents) wanted to fly him abroad.
“They were caught at the airport (with the child) but they had to come back to Gombe to find out whether they followed laid down processes. Fortunately, when they came, documents were backing the child’s adoption. If you follow the processes, there wouldn’t be problems,” he added.
PUNCH
At least six soldiers and 12 civilians have been killed after suspected terrorists launched coordinated attacks on communities in Zamfara and Sokoto states, overrunning a military outpost, abducting scores of residents and setting a family ablaze.
The attacks occurred late Saturday night in Kasuwar Daji, Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State, and Lajinge village, Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
In Zamfara, residents said the terrorists stormed Kasuwar Daji at about 11:30 p.m., overpowering a military outpost before attacking the community.
Six soldiers were reportedly killed during the assault, while no fewer than 75 residents were abducted and taken into the forest. The attackers also looted shops and other properties.
A resident, Alhaji Aminu Kasuwar Daji, said the gunmen arrived in large numbers and first engaged the military before turning their weapons on civilians.
“Our calls to the Zamfara State Government and the Federal Government are to come to the aid of Zamfara people generally on this insecurity bedevilling the state.
“We are really in danger if terrorists can overpower the military and succeed in their attacks on innocent citizens,” he said.
Former Deputy Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Namadi Kasuwar Daji, also confirmed the incident, saying he was informed by relatives while he was outside the state.
“I was told that the terrorists even killed soldiers, but I was not told the actual number. Again, I was told that after looting shops of foodstuffs, drinks and other properties, they also abducted an unspecified number of residents whom they took into the bush,” he said.
The Zamfara State Police Command had yet to officially confirm the attack as of press time. Its spokesperson, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said he would verify the report after contacting officers in the area.
Father, two sons burnt alive in Sokoto
In neighbouring Sokoto State, suspected terrorists attacked Lajinge village in Sabon Birni Local Government Area, killing at least 12 people in an assault that residents said lasted for more than four hours without any security intervention.
The attackers reportedly invaded the community at about 11 p.m. on Saturday and continued shooting until around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday.
A resident, who spoke anonymously, said 11 victims were killed by gunfire, while a woman identified as Agada reportedly died from shock during the attack.
He said six people, including a father and his two sons, were burnt alive after the terrorists surrounded the house where they had taken refuge.
“They ordered those inside to come out, but they refused. The attackers then poured petrol on the room and opened fire. When those inside attempted to escape through the door, they kept shooting at them. Their bodies were left inside the burning room,” he said.
Those reportedly burnt to death were identified as the head of the household, Mallam Wauro, popularly known as Mallam Roro; his two sons, Ukasha and Mujaheed; two relatives, Sufyanu and Sani Shanbami; and an internally displaced person sheltering in the house.
Another resident, Lawwali, was reportedly shot dead while attempting to flee the compound, bringing the reported death toll in the household to seven.
Other victims, including Yusuf and three internally displaced persons, were also reportedly shot while trying to escape from the village.
A community vigilante member said local volunteers were overwhelmed by the terrorists’ superior firepower.
“We were at the primary school guarding the village when we suddenly heard heavy gunfire. We all ran for safety and kept moving from one hiding place to another whenever the shooting came closer,” he said.
According to him, the attackers moved freely through the village after overpowering the local vigilantes and rustled cattle and sheep from several homes.
“They stationed one of their rifles in a strategic location that kept firing while the others entered houses to steal livestock,” he said.
He added that the gunmen later attacked Mallam Wauro’s residence, killing him and two of his sons, abducting his two wives and taking away all his cattle.
Residents said they could not immediately establish the exact number of people abducted because some of those initially taken away, particularly children, were later released.
They lamented that the terrorists operated unhindered for several hours.
“The bandits stayed in our village for hours without any intervention. They even walked along the main road laughing and smoking cigarettes as if they had conquered the community,” one resident said.
The villagers alleged that security personnel stationed in nearby Unguwar Lalle and Dan Tudu, both about two kilometres from Lajinge, failed to respond despite repeated distress calls.
They also disclosed that eight people had been killed in the community about three weeks earlier and appealed for urgent government intervention.
“We are Nigerians and we have voter cards. We elected the government to protect our lives and property. We are pleading with the authorities to deploy security personnel to safeguard our communities,” another resident appealed.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufai, said he was on transit and would verify the incident upon arriving at his office.
Troops of 34 Artillery Brigade, operating under Operation UDO KA and through ongoing Operation EASTERN SANITY II, have uncovered and exhumed the remains of late Chief Ibe Anyadu of Aggah Community in Imo.
Anyadu was allegedly murdered by suspected members of a criminal gang recently apprehended in connection with violent crimes in South-East.
This is contained in a statement issued by Lt.-Col. Olabisi Ayeni, Acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations 82 Division Nigerian Army in Enugu on Monday.
Ayeni said that the development followed recent intelligence-driven operations that led to the arrest of suspects responsible for the killing of a Nigerian Army soldier and the recovery of stolen service weapons.
According to him, during interrogation, one of the suspects confessed to involvement in the murder of Anyadu and volunteered to lead troops to the burial site.
“On Aug. 2, the suspects guided troops to a shallow grave within Umudike Forest, one of the criminals’ known camps, where the remains of the late community leader was successfully exhumed.
“The exhumation was conducted in the presence of the deceased’s family members, vigilante personnel from Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area, and representatives of Aggah and Umudike communities.
“The family provided a coffin and ambulance to ensure a dignified burial in accordance with their customs and traditions,” he said.
The Commander, Joint Task Force South-East, Operation UDO KA, Maj.- Gen. Oluremi Fadairo, extended his condolences to the family of the late
Anyadu and prayed for the peaceful repose of his soul.
Fadairo, who is also the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division, assured the family and the people of Aggah Community that justice would be served, as the suspects would be prosecuted in accordance with the laws
“Headquarters Operation UDO KA, as part of ongoing peace-building efforts in the South-East, remains committed to dismantling criminal networks and bringing perpetrators of violent crimes to justice.
“The public is encouraged to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information, which remains vital to the success of ongoing operations,” he said.
The Police Command in Enugu State has arrested four suspects for armed robbery and cultism, recovering firearm and other exhibits in the state.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Spokesman of the Command, SP Daniel Ndukwe, on Saturday in Enugu.
Ndukwe noted that the operational successes led to the arrest of two armed robbery suspects and two suspected cultists in separate operations.
“On July 27 at 6:20a.m., operatives of Anti-Cultism Sub-Unit of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), acting on confessional statement of a suspected member of the Black Axe Confraternity, and recovered one pick-handle axe.
“The suspect had earlier been arrested at a hotel in Independence Layout, Enugu, on July 26 with a knife recovered from him, while another accomplice escaped.
“The duo allegedly robbed a victim of a Samsung A12 mobile phone at the hotel from a male victim, while another victim sustained an injury to a finger on his right hand during the robbery.
“The robbed phone, knife, and pick-handle axe were all recovered,” he said.
Ndukwe also noted that at 12 noon on July 26, following credible information and collaboration with law-abiding residents, operatives attached to the command’s Igbo-Etiti Police Division arrested two male suspected cultists in Ukehe community.
The spokesman said that the suspects were found in possession of one locally-made pistol and one expended cartridge, which were recovered from them.
According to him, they also confessed to being members of the Aye Confraternity.
He said that Investigations are currently ongoing to arrest other accomplices still at large and recover additional exhibits.
Ndukwe said that all detained suspects would be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The state’s Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Mamman Giwa, had commended the vigilance and cooperation of members of the public, particularly the law-abiding residents of Ukehe Community.
The commissioner urged residents to remain law-abiding and continue to provide timely and credible information to the police to enhance the fight against crime and criminality across in the state.
Crime
Troops dismantle criminal syndicate operating in S/East, S/South, recover cache of stolen weapons
Troops of 34 Artillery Brigade, operating under Operation UDOKA through ongoing Operation EASTERN SANITY II, have arrested key members of a notorious criminal syndicate responsible for ambush of troops on May 4, 2026.
This is contained in a statement issued by the acting Deputy Director Army Public Relations 82 Division Nigerian Army, Lt.-Col. Olabisi Ayeni, on Saturday in Enugu.
Ayeni said that unfortunately, the ambush claimed the life of one soldier and left another wounded.
He said that following the attack, troops launched a series of intelligence-led raids aimed at apprehending the perpetrators and recovering weapons stolen during the incident.
According to him, these sustained operations resulted in the arrest of the suspects.
He noted that acting on actionable intelligence, in the early hours of July 31, 2026 troops in collaboration with 181 Battalion operating under 63 Brigade, Nigerian Army, conducted a coordinated raid at Opaebe and Oleh in Delta.
The army spokesman said that the raid led to the arrest of the suspects popularly known as Chiboy, Marathon, and Onowu, who had fled to Oleh in Delta State after the dastardly ambush on troops.
He said that the suspects guided troops to their hideouts at Aggah Plantation, Ekpeaggah, Rivers State, and Umudike Plantation, where the stolen weapons and other arms used in committing their nefarious acts were concealed.
“During the operation, troops recovered the stolen service weapons comprising one AK-47 rifle with two magazines and one FN rifle with two magazines.
“Additionally, troops recovered three more AK-47 rifles with nine magazines, pistols with their magazines, 194 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, and 45 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition.
“Military clothing and protective gear, including camouflage shirts, trousers, jungle hats, and a fragment protection jacket, were also recovered.
“Other items included one empty first aid box and five mobile phones believed to be linked to the syndicate’s criminal activities,” he said.
Ayeni said that the suspects are currently in custody for further investigation and would face prosecution in accordance with the law.
He said that the Headquarters Joint Task Force South-East, Operation UDOKA, had commended the professionalism, resilience, and inter-agency cooperation demonstrated by the troops throughout the operation.
“This success underscores the commitment of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies to safeguarding lives and dismantling criminal networks in order to sustain the peace-building processes ongoing across the region,” he added.
The Enugu State Police Command has rescued one of three persons abducted by armed men at Inoyi, Affa Community, in Udi Local Government Area of the state.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, August 2, 2026, within the precinct of a church in the community.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said in a statement that joint security operatives comprising police personnel, forest guards and members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group had intensified operations to apprehend the suspects and rescue the remaining two victims.
According to him, the operatives, while closing in on the fleeing assailants, forced them to abandon one of the victims, who was rescued unhurt.
He said the attackers, however, escaped with the other two victims.
The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, has directed the Area Commander, Oji-River, and the Head of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit to intensify the operation and deploy all available resources to secure the safe rescue of the remaining victims.
The CP also directed the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Intelligence Department to generate actionable intelligence to support the rescue operation.
He further ordered the activation of the surveillance and technical capabilities of the Enugu State Command-and-Control Centre to bolster efforts to locate the victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
The Police Commissioner urged residents of Affa Community to remain calm and provide credible information that could assist the security agencies in rescuing the remaining victims and bringing the suspects to justice.
Residents can report information through 08032003702, 08086671202, 112, 09134666668 or 09134448093, or via email at pproenugu@npf.gov.ng.
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