Man sells daughter and neighbour’s son to fund father-in-law’s burial

A Lagos based man identified as Kingsley Oriaku, has been arrested for selling one of his five children, Chimamada Oriaku, and a 7-year-old Gabriel Yanga, who happens to be his neighbour’s son.

During his confession after his arrest, Oriaku revealed that committed the crime barely 2 months after moving to Waidi Ogunseye Street, Meiran area of Lagos State.

He further disclosed that, he was able to raise a total sum of N310,000 he realised from the sale of the two children for the burial of his father-in-law.

According to report, the 37-year-old sold his daughter for N190,000 to the operator of an orphanage home in Aba, Abia State, through a self-acclaimed evangelist, Adaeze Obi.

Two days after selling the daughter, he returned to his Lagos residence and reportedly lured Yanga out of the compound, while her mother was not at home.

Oriaku was alleged to have whisked Yanga to Obi in Abia State, who linked him up with one Loveth Nwako.

Nwako was said to have led Kingsley and Yanga to her sister in Anambra State. The sister, Ngozi, collected the child and gave the artisan N120,000.

After his arrest, he confessed that he sold the children to raise funds for the burial of his father-in-law in Abia State.

He said, “I am a bricklayer. My father-in-law died and we wanted to do his burial. People that owed me refused to pay me. I was living in Abia State before with my family. In July, I moved down to Lagos. Early in September 2017, I contacted a nurse called Patience that I wanted Chimamada to be at the orphanage for proper care. She works at a hospital where my wife gave birth to Chimamada.

“Patience directed me to the evangelist, who took Chimamada to the orphanage home. I collected N190,000 from the operator of the orphanage home. Two days after, I came back to Lagos and fled with Gabriel (Yanga). I took him to the evangelist on her request and got N120,000. I used the money for my father in-law’s burial.”

He said after much pressure from his wife on the whereabouts of their daughter, he opened up to her, adding that his wife reported him to the police in Abia State.

“We later settled the case and our daughter was recovered from the orphanage. In November, policemen from Lagos came to pick me up in Abia State. Loveth (Nwako) and I led them to recover the boy as well,” he added.

The suspects were arrested by operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, Lagos State Command, Ikeja, where Yanga’s parents reported the case.

Confirming the suspects’ arrest, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, said the case came to the knowledge of the command on October 29, 2017, through Yanga’s mother, Olabisi.

The CP added that Yanga was recovered at the Ajali village, Anambra State, adding that the suspects would soon be charged to court.

He said, “She reported that her seven-year-old son was missing and all efforts to trace him proved abortive. Based on the report received, the command deployed a crack team of investigators drawn from SARS and arrested one Kingsley Oriaku. The team interrogated Kingsley, who confessed to sold the victim, Gabriel Yanga. He also confessed to have earlier sold his child to an orphanage for N190,000.”