NAPTIP parades 4 over sale of baby for N1.5m
By Doosuur Iwambe
Four women have been arrested by operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for their involvement in the sale of a baby.
The suspects are Mrs CeciliaUgbaku Onyema, a staff of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs Ihezuo Chinonso, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mrs Okasi Ekeoma and Mrs Harrieth Nmezi, both businesswomen.
Parading the suspects at its national headquarters Abuja, NAPTIP Director-General, Mrs Julie Okah-Donli said the arrest followed surveillance activities carried out by its operatives.
While revealing that the boy was sold for N1 5million to Chinonso, the NAPTIP boss added that further investigations took the operatives to Owerri, Imo State where the arrest of Ekeoma (Sister to Onyema) who brought the pregnant girl to her sister was carried out.
“In the early hours of Aug 23, operatives of the agency raided number 1,314 Bridge St., Sabon Gari, Mararaba, Nasarawa State, the residence of Onyema and rescued a 16-year old girl from Imo, who just gave birth to a baby boy.
“The boy was sold at N1.5 million to Chinonso. Further investigations took the operatives to Owerri, Imo capital where the arrest of Ekeoma (Sister to Onyema) who brought the pregnant girl to her sister was carried out.
“Also arrested in Owerri is the mother of the young mother, Nmezi, the women arrested in Owerri masterminded the movement of the girl from Owerri to Mararaba and made the transaction with the buyer and also received money from her.
“All the suspects have confessed to the crime and will soon be charged to court for prosecution as the crime they have committed violates various sections of the trafficking in person prohibition, enforcement and administrative act 2015,’’ she said.
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Okah-Donli said that the nefarious activities and unhealthy development contradict the provision of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act 2015, as it is seen as illegality punishable under the law.
According to her, this illegal activity has continued to fuel incidences of baby factories across the country, where many see it as a means of making money even at the risk of their lives and organised rape.
She, however, called on women desperately in need of the fruit of the womb to go about it in a legal way recognisable by the law to avoid stories that touch the heart.
According to her, women in this situation can visit the necessary agencies of government charged with the statutory power to process the request for adoption of a baby.
