Update: Guardian of rescued child indicted in trafficking ring

The elder sister to the mother of one of the two children rescued by the Police in December, 2019, from a suspected child trafficker, Mrs. Aminat Balogun, has been arrested by the Police over complicity in the crime.

It would be recalled that officers from Area G in Lagos had intercepted one Chukwunonso Blessing, a 30-year old woman in December, 2019, in whose possession two children, Anuoluwapo Alani, 9 years old and Pelumi Obey, 6 years old were found.

Upon interrogation, Blessing confessed that the children, like many others are being taken to the Southeast and South-south where they would be sold to some families as house helps.

She also confessed that Mrs. Balogun, an aunt to one of the children, Anuoluwapo Alani, actually gave out the boy to him.

Blessing confession subsequently led to the arrest of Mrs. Aminat Balogun by the operatives of the Police in Ketu area of Lagos on January 15, 2020.

During interrogation, Balogun confessed that the boy is her nephew. “Anuoluwapo is the child of my elder sister’s daughter, Enitan, who is now based in the United States of America after her marriage to one Sikiru Alani, hit the rock few years ago.

“The father of the boy dropped the boy at my residence after he remarried few years ago. And since then I have been the one taken care of the boy, but lately I have been facing some economic hardship,” she said.

When asked why she would release her nephew placed in her care to stranger, Balogun said Blessing was not a stranger to her because they have been neighbours for many years, and when she approached her to take the boy with her to the East, she obliged on the condition that the boy would be well taken care of.

Addressing newsmen, the Lagos State Police Command PRO, DSP Bala Elkana, said Balogun was taken into custody following the confession of a child trafficking suspect, Chukwunonso Blessing, arrested in December.

According to DSP Bala Elkana, Blessing had already confessed to the police that she paid Balogun N75, 000 for the boy.

According to the police, mother of the child, Enitan and her new husband in US have been sending money to Mrs. Balogun for the upkeep of Anuoluwapo.