Police authorities in Ogun State have uncovered and shut down a suspected child trafficking and illegal surrogacy ring that was allegedly operating under the cover of an orphanage, rescuing seven children and arresting five key suspects in the process.
State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, disclosed that the syndicate was allegedly arranging to sell babies for about ₦1.5 million each. He revealed this during a press briefing held at the Command Headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta.
According to him, the breakthrough followed an investigation by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department after a child abduction case was transferred from the Idanyin Divisional Police Headquarters. The case began on November 28, 2025, when a woman, Amara, reported that her six-year-old son, Samuel Honesty, had been taken.
Initial investigations led to the arrest and prosecution of two suspects linked to the child’s disappearance. Due to the sensitive and complex nature of the matter, the case was later moved to the SCID for deeper investigation.
Police said a major development occurred on January 21, 2026, when the missing boy was taken to Gowon Police Station in Lagos State. During questioning, he reportedly said he had been kept at Joyful Kids Orphanage in Badagry and identified its operator, known as Madam Joy.
Acting on the information, operatives carried out a targeted operation at the facility, where six more children were found and rescued, raising the total number of recovered minors to seven. The children’s identities were subsequently confirmed, and Samuel Honesty has since been reunited with his mother.
Investigators also found two pregnant teenagers at the location. Police said the teenagers claimed they had been recruited to carry pregnancies for the purpose of handing over the babies to pre-arranged buyers after birth for a fee of about ₦1.5 million per child.
The alleged operator of the orphanage, Joy Chiedozie, 36, also known as Madam Joy, was arrested at the premises. According to police, she admitted obtaining the abducted boy for ₦1.5 million, paying part in cash and the balance through a bank transfer to a woman identified as Kelly. She was also said to have told investigators that the child was later handed over to a man identified as Emmanuel, who is currently being sought by authorities.
Police further alleged that the facility’s driver, Yusuf Adebowale, acted as an unlicensed surrogate agent, helping to arrange illegal surrogacy deals and connecting pregnant girls with intending buyers. Additional suspects taken into custody include two 18-year-olds and a 16-year-old relative of the main suspect.
The six other rescued children have been placed in the custody of the Ogun State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for care, evaluation, and efforts to locate their families.
The police said investigations are continuing to track down other suspects and buyers, follow financial trails, identify more victims, and dismantle the broader network. The Command reiterated its firm stance against child trafficking, illegal adoption, and exploitation, and urged residents to report suspicious orphanages or trafficking-related activities.
