Osun State Police Command says it has rescued an 18th month baby simply identified as Abdullahi Afeez from the suspected kidnappers.
The baby was rescued at Orlu in Imo State. A Reverend Father, Chicke Ugwuejiofor of the Our Lady Of Fatima Catholic Church Onitsha was arrested in connection with the crime along with four others.
The baby was kidnapped on the 8th of February 2018 in Osogbo by a gang of criminal syndicate that specializes in kidnapping and in turn sell them to unsuspecting members of the public under the pretense of running a motherless babies home.
The syndicate involved a gang of two lovers simply identified as Joy and Sydney allegedly came to Osogbo with Joy disguising as a fashion design apprentice and was engaged by the parent of the boy.
The suspects were alleged to have drugged the boy and took him to Orlu in Imo State where the boy was allegedly sold to one Mr. Maxwell, an operator of Compassion Motherless Babies home.
The boy was allegedly sold for a sum of N400,000.00. Joy and Sydney who admitted to the crime also confessed to have sold their own kids to Maxwell for N200,000 each. They also claimed to have sold no fewer than six children to Maxwell.
Joy in her statement confessed to have sold one of her kids which she had from her previous marriage,accusing Sydney of hypnotising her into committing for crime.
Luck however ran out of the syndicate as the Osun state police command in collaboration with Anambra state command apprehended one woman, simply identified as Elizabeth who reportedly went through adoption process to have the stolen child in her custody.
Recounting her ordeal, Elizabeth 46, narrated that she wanted a boy having given birth to six girls. “I approached Reverend Father Chicke who was my parish priest and he told me he will help me out.
He(Revd.father) later linked me with Maxwell who asked me for some documents which I provided and after, he collected 750,000 Naira from me and later requesred for another 50,000 Naira to get me the adoption certificate not knowing he stole the child.
The 18 month old boy named Abdullahi got christened Chukwuemeka.
Speaking on the roles he played in the act, Reverend Father Chicke Ugwuejiofor of the Our Lady Of Fatima Catholic Church Onitsha, denied having the knowledge that Maxwell stole the child.
He explained that he only linked Maxwell to Mrs Elizabeth having known Maxwell as a licensed operator of motherless babies home.
The State Commissioner of Police, Fimihan Adeoye confirmed the incident saying the command had commenced investigation into the act adding that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.
