The driver’s identity remains unknown, and the children were taken without their parents’ consent.
Opeyemi Adetoro, a 28-year-old woman, was taken into custody by the Ogun State Police Command for the crime of trafficking three females to Libya from the Oke Itoku neighborhood of Abeokuta.
The Chief Superintendent of Police Omolola Odutola, who is the spokesperson for the state police command, disclosed this information in a statement on Monday, March 3, 2025.
The suspect was arrested after the mother of one of the victims of human trafficking reported to the police that her child had been taken to Libya without her consent. This information was disclosed by the spokesperson for the state police command.
“On March 2, 2025, at approximately 6:40 p.m., Kehinde Somorin visited the police station to report a disturbing incident. She stated that just 40 minutes earlier, at 6:00 p.m., she received alarming information from her neighbour, Latifat, who informed her that 28-year-old Opeyemi Adetoro had taken Somorin’s 17-year-old daughter, Ifeoluwa, to Libya without her consent.
“Upon receiving the report, the case was immediately referred to the surveillance team for further investigation.
“Interrogation revealed that on March 1, 2025, Opeyemi Adetoro took three children, 17-year-old Somorin Ifeoluwa, 16-year-old Ameerah Bamgboye, and another girl identified only as Okikiola, from Ogun State to Akure, Ondo State.
“From there, they boarded another vehicle headed to Sokoto State, where an agent was waiting to smuggle them into Libya.
“The driver’s identity remains unknown, and the children were taken without their parents’ consent. They are currently en route to Sokoto State, ultimately bound for Libya.
“The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, for further investigation.
IREPORT247NEW reported on January 7 that authorities paraded members of a network that trafficked children and was reportedly run by Mama Faith, a suspect who is presently being held at the Ibara Correctional Center. Patience Chikieze (54), Oluyinka Folake (43), and ThankGod Taiwo (35), were among those paraded. The three of them were charged with kidnapping and selling children for unauthorized adoption.
After he kidnapped seven-year-old Mercy Akande and sold her to Chikieze at the Ipaja Roundabout in Lagos for N650,000, Taiwo was apprehended at his hiding place. After being taken into custody on December 29 at Lafenwa-Itele, Chikieze led police to her home, where the child was safely retrieved.
Chikieze admitted that her buyer had rejected Mercy due to her age, according to the CP. Subsequent investigations showed that Chikieze had previously paid N250,000 for a three-year-old boy named Mohees Daniel and sold him for N3 million.
She also allegedly paid N1.5 million for another child, David Jesulayomi, from Oluyinka, which she tried to sell for a profit. Both children were found, along with fictitious adoption agreements that Chikieze had created in order to trick unwary adopters under the pretense of legal child adoption, the CP stated.
She admitted to working for Mama Faith, who planned the illicit activities, along with her companions Taiwo and Folake.
Three weeks after taking office, CP Ogunlowo issued a warning to the state’s criminals: stop your illicit activity or face the full force of the law.
In order to effectively battle crime, he urged the public to provide the police with timely intelligence.