A Nigerian woman identified as “Susan” was arrested at Gatwick Airport last summer after arriving from Nigeria with a baby girl, in a case now described by the Family Court as suspected child trafficking.
Susan, a careworker living in West Yorkshire with legal residency, had claimed she was pregnant before her trip to Nigeria. However, medical tests conducted in the UK revealed she was not expecting but instead had a tumor. Despite medical concerns, she insisted on her pregnancy and refused treatment.
In June 2024, she traveled to Nigeria and later contacted UK health officials claiming she had given birth. Upon her return with the infant—referred to as “Eleanor”—Susan was arrested by Sussex Police. DNA tests later confirmed that neither Susan nor her husband was biologically related to the child.
Susan attributed the discrepancy to IVF treatment using donor egg and sperm and presented documents from a Nigerian hospital to support her claim. However, investigations revealed the materials to be forged. A court-ordered inquiry led by social worker Henrietta Coker found no records of IVF procedures or childbirth linked to Susan. The alleged clinic was a run-down flat staffed by unqualified personnel, and the doctor involved admitted the birth certificate was not hers.
Further investigation into Susan’s phone uncovered messages with a contact labeled “Mum oft Lagos Baby,” discussing payment for delivery drugs and hospital items totaling ₦3.4 million (approx. £1,700). Authorities interpreted the exchange as a transaction to acquire the child.
In his ruling, Family Court judge Recorder William Tyler KC stated that Susan and her husband had misled authorities and caused emotional harm to the child. Eleanor has since been placed with a foster family and will be adopted with a new identity and British nationality.
The case has drawn attention to illegal baby trafficking in Nigeria, where over 200 “baby factories” have reportedly been shut down in the past five years. Experts warn that child trafficking through falsified birth stories is becoming increasingly common across the global south.
UK officials reiterated their commitment to combating such abuse, emphasizing that falsely claiming to be a child’s parent to gain immigration entry is a serious offense.
