Woman admits to receiving ₦250,000 for trafficking each child

A woman arrested in Abuja for suspected child trafficking has confessed to receiving ₦250,000 for every child she trafficked. She claimed she was told it was compensation for her work.

The woman made this statement during an interview with reporters in Abuja on Tuesday. She also admitted that she returned to trafficking after being arrested and jailed before.

When asked why she went back to this illegal business, she said someone convinced her that it was meant to help kids who were wandering the streets by giving them shelter and education.

"She said it’s not that she’s helping, that government is she have government approval, that is only children that is roaming around the street that don’t have help, that she have school, they can train them for school," she said.

The reporter questioned her story, reminding her that she had previously mentioned a woman named Madam Nkechi as the person who introduced her to trafficking. The suspect then clarified that she was the one who brought Madam Nkechi into the operation. However, she later admitted that the woman contacted her again and suggested she return to the business.

When asked about how much she made for each child, she said, "She gave me 250. 250,000 naira." The reporter confronted her about an earlier statement claiming ₦1.5 million was involved. The suspect explained that this amount was to be shared among several people, including her contact.

She insisted she was told the payment was compensation, but struggled to explain what the compensation was for when pressed by the reporter. When asked how she would feel if someone received money for taking her own child, she admitted she was also a mother.

The woman revealed that she was arrested last year after taking a child. She said the case went to court several times, but the person who complained did not show up. Eventually, she was allowed to go home after the child was found.

"That was the first assignment she gave me," the suspect stated.

Her confession is part of an ongoing investigation by the Federal Capital Territory Police Command into child abduction and trafficking in Abuja. On Tuesday, the police presented suspects linked to this investigation after making more arrests and recovering a five-year-old girl whose family has not yet been identified.

Police have asked the public to help find the child’s relatives, as claims about parentage need to be verified. Some suspects reportedly said they were recruited by a woman called Madam Nkechi and promised payments for bringing in children described as orphans or street kids.

Others mentioned that they met the recruiter at a church in Lugbe, Abuja. However, the claims connecting the recruitment to the church have not been confirmed, and there is no evidence that the church itself was involved.