‘I Sold My Own Babies, Then Stole 19 Others’, Woman’s Chilling Confession Leaves Oyo in Shock
A chilling confession by a suspected child trafficker has left residents and families in Oyo State horrified after a woman, Adejoke Popoola, allegedly admitted to selling four of her own biological children before graduating to the abduction and sale of other people’s children.
Popoola, who was paraded alongside other suspected members of a child-stealing and human-trafficking syndicate by the Oyo State Police Command on Monday, September 7, 2026, reportedly made the shocking disclosure at the command headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan.
Her confession has brought a disturbing human face to the growing danger of child trafficking, revealing how children allegedly became commodities in an organised criminal network.
According to the suspect, her journey into the illicit trade began in October 2024 after a woman she worked with at Ojeere Market allegedly introduced her to child trafficking.
Popoola claimed that she had seven children of her own, some of whom are already married, but shockingly revealed that she had sold four of her biological children before allegedly turning her attention to children belonging to other families.
‘I sold twins for N300,000’
In a particularly disturbing account, Popoola allegedly told Journalists that she sold a set of twins to a woman identified as Oluwakemi for N300,000.
She claimed that the woman operated a clinic and allegedly resold babies to customers in Lagos.
«“God blessed me with the gift of pregnancy. Anytime a man has sex with me, I get pregnant. I give birth to twins,” she said.»
Popoola further claimed that when the person responsible for a pregnancy rejected the pregnancy, she would sell the resulting child.
She allegedly said she sometimes received between N80,000 and N120,000 for each child.
The revelation has raised disturbing questions about the network allegedly operating behind the illegal sale of babies, including the identities of those buying the children and the channels through which the babies were allegedly moved from one location to another.
How she allegedly lured desperate parents
The suspect also described an alleged method she used to gain access to vulnerable families.
According to Popoola, she sometimes disguised herself as a spiritualist and targeted parents whose children were living with disabilities.
She allegedly gained the confidence of such parents by promising that she could cure their children.
«“Sometimes, I disguise myself as a spiritualist. Parents bring their disabled children to me because they cannot talk, sit, or walk. So, I will promise them that I can help them to heal, then I will go and pick another person’s child for them,” she said.»
The account paints a disturbing picture of how desperation, religious or spiritual beliefs and parental vulnerability could allegedly be exploited by traffickers.
Families seeking help for children with disabilities could, according to the suspect’s account, unknowingly place their children in the hands of people allegedly involved in trafficking.
The little boy who disappeared during Egungun festival
One of the most heartbreaking incidents recounted by Popoola involved three-year-old Ifakunle Ifagbenro.
She allegedly admitted stealing the little boy during an Egungun festival in Oyo town.
Recounting the incident, Popoola said she woke up early and hired a motorcycle rider to take her to the area where the festival was taking place.
After arriving, she allegedly entered a house where people were praying.
Rather than raising suspicion, she claimed she joined the prayers and even contributed money.
When the Egungun procession began, the little boy reportedly told his mother that he wanted to join the procession.
Popoola allegedly volunteered to help carry him.
She claimed that she followed the procession with the child and waited until later in the evening before allegedly carrying the boy away on her back and fleeing.
The alleged incident demonstrates the terrifying ease with which a child could potentially be separated from his or her family in a crowded public gathering.
For Ifakunle’s family, what may have appeared to be an ordinary cultural celebration allegedly turned into a nightmare when their three-year-old disappeared.
‘19 children were kidnapped, six died’
The most disturbing part of Popoola’s confession came when she allegedly disclosed the number of children she had kidnapped.
She claimed that she had abducted 19 children, including a newborn baby and twins.
But according to her account, not all of the children survived.
«“About six children died from the 19 children I have kidnapped, but 13 are alive,” she said.»
The allegation has raised serious concerns about the fate of the 13 children she claimed were still alive and the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths of the other six.
Police investigators will now be expected to establish the whereabouts of the surviving children, identify their families and determine whether the deaths alleged by Popoola occurred and under what circumstances.
Police probe deepens
The confession is also expected to provide investigators with leads that could help unravel the wider network allegedly involved in the trafficking operation.
Beyond Popoola, investigators are expected to establish the identities and roles of other suspects, alleged buyers, intermediaries and any facilities or individuals allegedly connected to the movement and sale of children.
The authorities will also need to independently verify the claims made during the suspect’s parade, as allegations made by a suspect remain subject to investigation and due process.
The Oyo State Police Command’s action is part of efforts to tackle child abduction, trafficking and related crimes in the state.
The case has nevertheless sent a painful warning to parents and guardians across Nigeria.
Children can disappear within seconds in crowded places, during festivals, religious gatherings, markets and other public events. Popoola’s alleged account also highlights how traffickers may exploit trust, desperation and the vulnerability of families.
For parents, the story is more than another crime report.
It is a reminder of the unimaginable pain experienced by families whose children disappear without explanation mothers who go to sleep hoping their children will return, fathers who search streets and hospitals, and families who continue waiting for answers long after the initial disappearance.
And behind the figure of 19 allegedly abducted children are 19 individual stories, families and futures potentially torn apart.
As the Police investigation continues, Nigerians will be watching closely for answers: Where are the surviving children? What happened to the six children Popoola claimed died? Who allegedly bought the children? And how deep does the network go?
Those questions now hang over the investigation as authorities work to uncover the full extent of the alleged trafficking operation.
Global Mirror News gathered that the suspects were paraded at the Oyo State Police Command headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, on Monday, September 7, 2026, as investigations into the alleged child-trafficking network continued.
