A suspected child trafficker, Sunday Onome, has allegedly confessed to selling his friend’s child for N1.3 million, exposing what police describe as an emerging child trafficking network operating across state lines.

Onome was arrested in Onitsha, Anambra State, alongside his girlfriend and son by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force’s Intelligence Response Unit, Vicious Crime Response Unit (VCRU), during an operation that also led to the rescue of two children believed to be victims of an ongoing trafficking scheme.

Onome admitted that he participated in multiple child trafficking operations, claiming he earned a total of N3.6 million from two assignments.

He alleged that the first transaction involved the son of a close friend, whom he said he handed over to members of the syndicate for N1.3 million.

According to him, financial hardship after losing his job as a private driver pushed him into contact with individuals involved in the illegal trade.

He further claimed that he later became more deeply involved in the network after forming a relationship with a woman who allegedly coordinated operations alongside him.

Onome told investigators that subsequent operations involved the movement of children across states, with instructions allegedly issued via telephone and payments transferred directly into his bank account upon completion of assignments.

He also alleged that his girlfriend played an active role in coordinating logistics within the network, while his son assisted in transporting children to designated locations before handover to other operatives.

The suspect further confessed that during his most recent assignment, he lodged in a hotel in Onitsha with two children while awaiting contact from individuals expected to receive them.

Police, however, 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 establish the full extent of the network’s operations.

Authorities described the case as part of a wider crackdown on child trafficking, warning that criminal groups are increasingly exploiting trust relationships and informal networks to recruit victims.

Police reiterated that investigations are still ongoing and that all suspects remain presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. (Daily Trust)