A seven-year-old boy, Joshua Joseph, who was declared missing two years ago, has been found with his adopted mother, Blessing Ozor, who allegedly paid N1.05m for his ‘adoption’.

Joshua was declared missing by his parents, who live in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, in 2017, but he was found by men of the state police command in Anambra State.

The boy, who had been renamed Chisom, was reportedly found in the home of Ozor, who claimed to have adopted him after paying N1.05m to a level-13 civil servant in the Anambra State Ministry of Women Affairs, Ifeoma Joy.

The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama, gave the details at the state police headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, on Sunday, while handing over Joshua to his father and parading Ozor and Joy in connection with the incident.

Makama said the boy was found after a thorough investigation by operatives of the command over the last two years.

The police boss stated that Joshua was stolen in Ijebu-Ode and sold to Ozor.

He said Joy belonged to a three-member syndicate, which specialised in stealing children and selling them to their clients.

Our correspondent gathered that two other members of the syndicate, Rita and Angela, were been held in prisons in Edo and Ondo states, respectively, for the same offence.

It was gathered that both Rita and Angela gave information from their prison cells that led to the recovery of the boy and the arrest of Ozor and Joy in Anambra State.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun State, Abimbola Oyeyemi, accused Joy of collecting over N1m from the acclaimed adopted mother and forged adoption documents from the Anambra State Ministry of Women Affairs.

Oyeyemi stated, “Joy is working at the Ministry of Women Affairs in Anambra State. She used the opportunity to arrange buyers for stolen children.

“In the cause of looking for her, she got transferred to four local government councils within one month in order to evade arrest.

“Our findings showed that eight children had been stolen by this syndicate from Ogun State and four had been recovered.

“One of the stolen children was found when the people, who adopted him, saw the boy’s picture on the pages of newspapers and returned him.”

While speaking with journalists, Joy denied the allegation against her, saying she was not involved in such an act.

She said, “I never did such a thing. I know the woman, who brought this boy, as a worker at the Peace Sisters’ Home.

“So, when my sister in fellowship (Ozor) came up with the idea of adopting a child, I called the other woman to help us get a boy and I gave Rita my sister’s particulars. When she finished with the particulars, she now came with this boy. I never knew the boy was stolen.”

Ozor said she gave Joy N150,000 for processing of the adoption papers and additional N900,000 when the deal was completed.

Ozor said amid sobs, “I am just a victim of circumstances by my foolishness. I went to a sister in our fellowship, who had adopted a child before, because I have two daughters already but I had a feeling for a son; my last daughter is 24 years old.

“I went through Rita because she and her husband had adopted a child before and they led me to this woman, Joy. I believed that everything was okay because she made me believe that she runs the Peace Sisters Home.”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/ogun-boy-sold-for-n1m-recovered-in-anambra/amp/

I feel that the woman who adopted the boy is a victim of circumstance as she claimed.

But, those women selling their fellow human beings just as if they are selling second hand clothes should be made to confess their atrocities.

And possibly retrieve the children they sold and also be reunited with their respective families that they put in agonies.

While the slave traders are made to remain behind bars for the rest of their lives.

Na wa o

There are proper channels for adoption. Don't claim to be a victim of circumstances when you try to cut corners and get caught.

just like Joseph in bible

Harlem2:
Easterners I hail una oooo
From ogun to Anambra

What's this one saying

when they said man must wack is not through fraudulent activities .get an honest job

Toki11:
Nigeria na wa

Fraudster

see small boy dey valued at 1M while 'SLAY QUEENS' go dey throwe them toto around for sharwarma and pizza


know your worth

What a wickedness

Why are Nigerians crazily obsessed with having kids.

It's not like they have adequate resources to raise these kids well.

See as dis one go dig problem for herself, where problem no dey.

Our correspondent gathered that two other members of the syndicate, Rita and Angela, were been held in prisons in Edo and Ondo states, respectively, for the same offence.

OP you mentioned the buyer's surname to tell us she is from the east but failed to mention the surname of the sellers because they are from the west abi. continue...

Niger.

He village people really tried in calling him back

Now this boy will now go and be living suffer life in ijebu-ode ....

etugba:



What's this one saying

Just greeting them

Chai

small time, that biitch would have been physically abusing the child. beating him up, scarring his body and locking him in a cage

i only hope this will not be another case that will just die. let the police find out just how many unfortunate children have been stolen and sold as slaves. that is what this really is. human trafficking and modern day slavery. and these bastards will go to church and praise God on Sunday