Anambra woman nabbed over the alleged sale of a grandchild.
The government of Anambra claimed it nabbed Oluchukwu Nwosu, 45, for allegedly selling her three-month-old granddaughter for N50,000.
Mrs. Ify Obinabo, the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, said this at a press conference in Awka on Sunday.
Obinabo stated that the baby was rescued after a month of continuous intelligence reporting and observation.
“The rescue effort was in response to a report by Ijeoma Nwosu, who claimed that her mother, Oluchukwu, forcedly sold her kid soon after he was born and refused to divulge her location.”
“Upon receiving the claim, the ministry took urgent efforts to locate and apprehend the culprits.”
“Four suspects were seized in connection with the incident and will be turned over to police for questioning and further investigation.”
“It’s unfortunate that the baby appears unwell and underweight.
“According to the customer, she doesn’t have enough money to buy good baby food, so she feeds the infant soy bean powder,” she explained.
Despite the government’s efforts, the commissioner expressed concern about the state’s persistent practise of illicit adoption.
She cautioned that those who engage in illegal adoption would face legal consequences.
Speaking to reporters, Oluchukwu begged pardon, claiming that the baby she sold was the third child her daughter, Ijeoma, had outside of marriage.
“We are impoverished. There isn’t enough money to feed and care for ourselves and our children.
“So, when I met a man named Tochukwu Asiegbu, we bargained and agreed that he would pay N50,000, and he did,” she explained.
Asiegbu further stated that his benefit from the transaction was N30,000 and that he just connected Oluchukwu to the buyer.
Evelyn Egwuatu, from Uruagu in Nnewi, said she paid N200,000 for the infant from one Ebelechukwu Uba, who is from Ebonyi but lives in Anambra.
Uba, on the other hand, claimed to be only a middleman, claiming that Asiegbu and Oluchukwu made the decision to sell the infant to Egwuatu.