Woman buys 13-monthold baby for N3,500

12 kids rescued from pastor's den

Police in Delta State at the weekend paraded a 32-year-old woman, Madam Abigail Nwakama aka Madam Cash, for being the leader of a child trafficking syndicate. It was discovered that Nwakama bought a 13-month-old baby, Fatima Yahaya, from her agents for a paltry sum of N3,500.


The baby was abducted by two ladies, Nnoruka Obioma (21) and Chidimma Anikwesiri (20), believed to be Nwakama’s agents. Obioma and Anikwesiri reportedly impersonated officials of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to abduct the Fatima.

Fatima’s mother, Aisha Yahaya, raised the alarm which attracted the attention of police detectives, who soon smoked out Obioma and Anikwesiri from their hideout while they were attempting to escape with Fatima. Madam Cash reportedly hid the baby at her drinking ‘joint’ at Stop Abortion Junction in Asaba, awaiting buyer.

But detectives arrested her and another 32-year-old woman, Ifeoma Anyadike, at Okpanam. The state Commissioner of Police, Zanna Ibrahim, paraded Nwakama and her gang members as well as 38 suspected kidnappers, armed robbers and cultists at the state Police Command Headquarters, Asaba, Ibrahim said detectives burst the kidnappers’ hideout at Okpanam axis of Asaba, before the suspects led policemen to their main hideout at Ogidi in Anambra State where a pastor, Chinedu Strongman, a member of the syndicate, hid 12 stolen babies.

“When detectives got there, the pastor immediately sensed danger and started making supplications to God to fool us. But when he sighted his gang members, including Madam Cash, his dropped from his prayer posture, knowing fully well that the game was up,” one of the detectives, who arrested him, said. Strongman is the resident pastor of the Gospel Fire Ministry, Mkwuele-Ogidi, in Anambra State.

Besides Strongman, four other members of his gang, David Ikesinachi, Ebere Edwin, Adage Enyi and Chike Agwunenu (55), were arrested at different locations at Ogidi for their involvement in the abduction saga. “Investigations revealed that Pastor Chinedu Strongman paid N400,000 for each child sold to him by Madam Cash,” the commissioner said.

He added: “Two of the recovered children were handed over to their parents while the remaining 10, within the age bracket of six months to two years, are kept at St. Barnabas Orphanage Home in Asaba, pending identification by their families, even as efforts have been intensified to apprehend other mentioned members of the syndicate.”

On interrogation, Madam Cash, who kept sealed lips, with her hands on her head on the parade ground, merely said: “I will say the truth if the commissioner of police will forgive me.” The arrest of the suspects confirmed the New Telegraph’s lead story of Wednesday, September 7, entitled: Tension in Anambra, Delta as traffickers, ritualists abduct 45 children.