A suspected child trafficker, Sunday Onome, has reportedly confessed to selling his friend’s child for N1.3 million.
Onome was arrested in Onitsha, Anambra State, alongside his girlfriend and son by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force’s Intelligence Response Unit and the Vicious Crime Response Unit (VCRU). The operation also led to the rescue of two children believed to be victims of an ongoing trafficking network.
According to investigators, the suspect admitted involvement in multiple child trafficking incidents, claiming he earned about N3.6 million from two separate operations.
He allegedly stated that the first case involved the child of a close friend, whom he said he handed over to members of a trafficking syndicate for N1.3 million.
Onome reportedly told investigators that financial hardship following the loss of his job as a private driver pushed him into contact with individuals involved in the illegal trade.
He further claimed that he became more deeply involved in the network after entering a relationship with a woman who allegedly coordinated operations alongside him.
The suspect also alleged that subsequent operations involved moving children across states based on instructions received via telephone, with payments made directly into his bank account after each assignment. He claimed his girlfriend coordinated logistics within the network, while his son assisted in transporting children to designated handover points.
In his most recent alleged assignment, Onome said he lodged in a hotel in Onitsha with two children while awaiting contact from individuals expected to receive them.
Police, however, said they tracked the suspects’ movements and arrested them before the alleged handover could take place.
Investigators say efforts are ongoing to verify the suspect’s claims, identify other members of the alleged trafficking syndicate, and determine the full extent of the network’s operations.
Authorities described the case as part of a broader crackdown on child trafficking, warning that criminal groups are increasingly exploiting trust relationships and informal networks to recruit victims.
Police also reiterated that investigations are ongoing and that all suspects remain presumed innocent until proven guilty.
