Baby Factory: I Sold My Newborn Twins for N300,000, Stole 19 Children — Suspect

A middle-aged woman, Adejoke Popoola, also known as Orente Alagbo, has allegedly confessed to stealing at least 19 children and supplying them to suspected baby-factory operators in Oyo State.

Popoola, who was arrested by the Oyo State Police Command during an investigation into a suspected child-trafficking network, allegedly told investigators that she sold her newborn male twins for N300,000 and received between N80,000 and N120,000 for other children she supplied.

In a video published by Oyo Affairs, the suspect claimed she became involved in child trafficking after meeting a woman identified as Oluwakemi, who she alleged operated a “baby industry” and supplied babies to buyers in Lagos.

According to Popoola, she sold her one-year-old son and later sold her newborn male twins to Oluwakemi.

“The twins are male. I sold them immediately after they were born. She (Oluwakemi) gave me N300,000,” she said.

She claimed the twins were sold after the man responsible for the pregnancy allegedly refused to accept them.

Popoola also alleged that Oluwakemi sold the children supplied to her to buyers in Lagos, adding that she was paid between N80,000 and N120,000 for each child.

The suspect further described how she allegedly abducted a three-year-old boy, identified as Ifakunle Ifagbenro, during an Egungun festival in Oyo in June.

She said she approached the child’s mother and offered to carry him during the procession. According to her, she later fled with the child while the festival was ongoing.

“The child said he did not want to stay, but I told his mother that I should carry him for her. So I followed them around. In the evening, I ran away with the child,” she alleged.

Popoola claimed she was subsequently paid N900,000 for the child.

She also alleged that she sometimes targeted vulnerable families by offering to help children with disabilities.

“I also used to exchange children. If they brought a child with a disability, I would tell them that I could help the child recover. Then I would take another person’s child and give it to them,” she said.

How I Joined the Baby-Trafficking Network

Popoola said she previously made a living selling herbs but became involved in the alleged trafficking operation after her shop was destroyed by fire in January 2024.

She claimed that while selling herbs around Ogere, she became acquainted with women who allegedly operated a clinic and supplied pregnant women.

“Later, they told me that instead of continuing to struggle, I should steal babies for them,” she alleged.

According to her, she received N80,000 for the first child she allegedly stole, while subsequent payments ranged from N80,000 to N120,000.

Police Rescue 17 Children

The Oyo State Police Command said its investigation began following a petition and subsequently uncovered what it described as a wider network involved in the alleged stealing, movement, sale and concealment of children.

The command said 17 children had so far been rescued, while seven suspects, including Popoola, had been arrested.

Police also reported that six other children allegedly died while in the custody of their abductors.

The command further alleged that the investigation uncovered a suspected link between the child-trafficking network and ritual activities, claiming that the remains of some children who died in custody were allegedly sold to suspected ritualists.

Meanwhile, the husband of another arrested suspect gave investigators an account of how his wife allegedly became connected to the case.

He said his wife had been informed that her sister operated a hospital where women could deliver their babies and that she went there believing she was seeking assistance.

According to him, his wife went into labour and delivered a baby at about 7 p.m. on August 6.

He said she was later informed that the baby had died.

However, the man said police subsequently contacted them after allegedly tracing a newborn to the residence of a woman identified as Osana.

He claimed investigators told him that conversations found on Osana’s phone had been traced to him and that they had identified him as the father of the newborn.

“The police said they claimed that a prostitute had given birth to the baby and run away. They said they traced the conversation on Osana’s phone and found that I was the child’s father,” he recounted.

The police investigation is ongoing as authorities work to identify other persons allegedly connected to the suspected child-trafficking network and reunite the rescued children with their families.