Law enforcement apprehends individual for allegedly trafficking niece for N2m in Lagos

A 30-year-old man has been apprehended by the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly selling his one-month-old niece for a sum of N2 million, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.

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The suspect, who resides in Igbogbo, Ikorodu, claimed that the sale was to cover the costs of their mother's burial, an explanation he provided after his arrest was facilitated by his sister, the baby's mother, who reported the incident to the authorities.

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The Commissioner of Police, Mr Olohundare Jimoh, has instructed that the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, located at Panti, for a more in-depth investigation to be conducted.

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In a conversation with the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday, the suspect confessed to the crime and attributed his actions to financial hardship, stating that his sister had initially agreed to the plan.

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He revealed that he had met the buyer, a woman in need of a child, through Facebook, and after negotiations, the baby was handed over to a representative of the buyer at Mile 2, following which he received a transfer of N2 million.

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According to the suspect, he gave his sister N500,000 from the proceeds and used the remaining amount to organize their mother's funeral, but his sister later retracted her initial agreement, claiming she had been coerced into the sale through the use of charms.

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The suspect stated that his sister's change of heart led to her reporting him to the police, resulting in his arrest, and he also claimed that he had no personal connection with the buyer and lacked any knowledge of her address, with her phone number being unreachable since the transaction.

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Mr Dayo Akinbisehin, the Deputy Commissioner of Police overseeing the SCID, informed the News Agency of Nigeria that the investigation was ongoing and the suspect would face charges in court once the inquiry was completed.