National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) officials have arrested four women for allegedly selling a newborn for N1,500,000. The women were paraded before newsmen on Thursday, September 3.
According to NAPTIP officials, two of the women, Bernadette Ihezuo and Cecilia Onyema, are civil servants with the Federal Ministry of Finance Abuja, and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, respectively. The third suspect, Okasi Ekeoma, is said to be Onyema’s sister, while the fourth suspect is the baby’s grandmother Harrieth Nmezi who resides in Imo state.
According to NAPTIP officials, the teenage girl got pregnant while staying with her mother who then took her to Onyema’s residence where she lived until she delivered her baby. Immediately after delivery, the other women took the child from the young mother and sold off the baby. They were arrested following a tipoff received by some members of the public.
The baby has been rescued while the suspects have confessed to the crime and will be arraigned in court soon.