Ibadan Child Trafficking: Doctor and Mother Arrested Over ₦2m Baby Sale in Oyo State.

A medical doctor and a young mother are in police custody following the successful rescue of a one-month-old baby girl who was allegedly sold for ₦2 million. The Oyo State Police Command cracked down on the illicit child trafficking syndicate operating within the Ido Local Government Area of Ibadan. The coordinated operation has exposed a troubling network involving trusted healthcare operators and local middlemen.

The complex investigation began on October 15, 2026, when Mary Amos, a resident of the Ogunwade area of Ido, walked into a local police station at around 6:00 pm to file a missing person report. She told authorities that her 23-year-old daughter, Cecilia Amos, gave birth to a baby girl on September 6, 2026, at Ebepraise Health Centre. Shockingly, Cecilia vanished with the newborn just seven days after delivery, later returning empty-handed and completely failing to explain the whereabouts of her infant daughter.

Sensing foul play, police operatives immediately arrested Cecilia Amos for questioning. Under intense interrogation, the young mother cracked and confessed to selling her newborn daughter. She explicitly named 40-year-old Dr. Adeleke Ebenezer, the medical director of Ebepraise Health Centre, and a middleman named Hassan Oludunni as the primary masterminds who lured her into the criminal arrangement.

Financial audits into the transaction revealed that the infant was sold on the black market for a total sum of ₦2 million. According to details shared by law enforcement, the proceeds were split cleanly among the co-conspirators. The mother received a ₦1 million payout, while Dr. Ebenezer and Hassan Oludunni allegedly pocketed a facilitation fee of ₦500,000 each.

Confirming the incident in an official statement on Friday, October 16, 2026, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, stated that while the infant has been safely rescued and the medical doctor arrested, the case is far from closed. A massive manhunt is actively underway to apprehend Hassan Oludunni and the suspected buyer, identified as Odunayo Folawewo, who both remain at large.

The Oyo State Police Command reaffirmed its uncompromising commitment to protecting children and vulnerable citizens from human trafficking rings. To bolster community policing, authorities have urged the public to report suspicious child welfare activities or emergencies immediately.