Woman sells 18-month-old baby to pay off bank loan in Ogun State

A 33-year-old woman, Olaide Adekunle, has been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly selling her 18-month-old baby for N600,000 ($1500) to offset a bank loan.

The suspect, who resides in Sango in the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, reportedly left her home for Lagos where she sold the baby to an unidentified buyer.

The arrest of the suspect came following a complaint lodged at the Sango divisional headquarters by the woman’s husband, Nureni Rasaq.

Rasaq reported to the police that his wife left their home on March 15, 2023, with their baby girl, Moridiat Rasaq, but returned home without the baby.

He further stated that all efforts to ascertain the whereabouts of the baby were futile as his wife was unable to provide any reasonable account.

Confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Ogun State, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed in a statement on Monday that the suspect had confessed to selling the baby for N600,000 to offset a bank loan.

The PPRO stated that the suspect would be charged to court for child trafficking, which is a punishable offense under Nigerian law.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, with many expressing shock and disbelief at the woman’s actions.

Selling a child for any reason is considered a grave offense and is condemned by society.

He said, “Upon the report, the DPO Sango division, CSP Dahiru Saleh, detailed his detectives to go after the said woman, and she was promptly arrested.

“On interrogation, the suspect confessed that she had sold the baby to someone in Lagos at the rate of N600,000.

“When asked the reason for her action, she stated that she borrowed money from a microfinance bank, and when she was unable to pay back the money, the bank agents started dragging her and threatened to deal decisively with her.

“It was consequent upon this that she ran to Lagos and started hawking sachet water.

“It was while hawking that she met a man who introduced her to the woman that eventually bought the child in Lagos.”

The PPRO, however, said the acting Commissioner of Police, DCP Babakura Muhammed, had directed that the suspect be transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and possible recovery of the baby.