Mother, nurse, others in hot soup over sale of 4-month-old baby
…Baby sold for N550, 000 by three- man gang
…I sold my baby to give him better life, mother insists
A three- man gang that specialises in the trafficking and sales of children in Imo State have met their waterloo after attempting to sell a four- month old baby for N550, 000.
Investigations revelaed that the mother of the child, 18-year-old Nwaokwe Chijioke had connived with her friends, Onyinyechi Chibueze, 29, and Nwokeogu Chinwe, 35, a trainee in nursing at Unity Hospital, Anara in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of the state to pepetrate the heinious crime.
The State Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, Mr Dasuki Galadanchi, who paraded the suspects at the Imo State Police Command Headquaters in Owerri, said Chinwe had arranged for Chijioke to sell the baby to the proprietor of Unity Hospital where she was training.
Galadanchi said: “The suspects have made useful statements to the police confessing to have received the cash sum of N550, 000 as proceeds from the sale from the proprietor of the hospital who is still at large.
“Investigation is in progress as efforts are been beefed up to apprehend the proprietor of the hospital and recovery of the baby boy.”
The mother of the child has confessed to the crime, saying she did it to give her child a better life.
The 18-year-old mother said: “I got pregnant as a teenager and my parents are not financially bouyant. The father of my child denied respomsibility and since I gave birth, life has not been easy.
“It was Chinwe who was moved by my condition that brought up the suggestion. So, I felt I could sell the child and then earn something to help me start a better life.
“I know it was wrong, but I did not have an option as being a single mother has been very difficult. Right now, I don’t know where the baby is, I really do hope he is safe.”
Similarly, the State Police boss also disclosed that another two suspects were arrested for same offence.
The suspects, Ifeoma Chukwu, 30, and Angelina Ukaegbu had both sold a baby for the sum of N117, 000 on August, 30, 2018.
It was learnt that Chukwu had given birth to a male child and sold it to Ukaegbu who was in need of a male child.
They were however arrested by operatives of the command at Ogbaku Police Division.
The Commissioner said: “The first suspect, Chukwu got pregnant and was delivered of a baby boy. She subsequently sold the child to the second suspect, Ukaegbu, at the sum of N130, 000.
“The sum of N117, 000 has been recovered as part of the proceeds of the sale as exhibit and investigation is in progress.”
