BY AGNES NWORIE, ABAKALIKI
Police in Ebonyi State have arrested three female suspects in connection with the alleged trafficking of two babies aged between three days and two weeks.
In a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Loveth Odah, indicated that two of the suspects were staff of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nwezenyi annex.
She alleged in the statement that the other suspect, Ndidiamaka Emeka, who is the biological mother of one of the babies, connived with the two staff to sell her baby boy for N400,000.00 (Four hundred thousand naira).
It stated further that before buying the baby, one of the suspects (name withheld) visited a maternity centre where Ndidiamaka delivered her baby and paid her N14,000 hospital bill.
It stressed that the suspects were arrested following a tip-off by the relations of Ndidiamaka who were worried that she did not come home with her newborn baby while the circumstances surrounding the trafficking of the other baby was under investigation.
The statement read that “In its efforts to sustain the fight against child trafficking in Ebonyi State, the Nigeria Police Operatives, attached to Izzi Divisional Headquarters of the Command arrested three female suspects, two staff of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki and Maryjane Inya, a principal Nurse at Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital Annex, Nwezenyi, Izzi LGA, and recovered two babies, (male and female) between ages three days and two weeks old.
“The suspects were arrested on Thursday, 10th December, 2021 following a report to the Divisional Police Officer by a concerned citizen of the area who alleged that one of the suspects, Maryjane, was seen with two newborn babies suspected to have been stolen.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that one of the suspects, Ndidiamaka Emeka, is the biological mother of the male child delivered on Wednesday, 8th December, 2021 at Mama Samuel Maternity Home, Ndi-Eche Igbeagu in Izzi LGA of the state; a single mother of five who now sold her newborn baby to the second suspect, Chinenye Idam, at the cost of N400,000.
“On Wednesday, 8th December, 2021, Chinenye Idam visited the maternity home as agreed, paid the hospital bill of N14,000 and the cash sum of N400,000 to Ndidiamaka who, in turn, handed over the baby to her.
“Ndidiamaka, the baby’s mother, went back to the village claiming that her newborn baby died after delivery but the village head and other family members insisted on knowing the circumstances surrounding the baby’s death .The suspect now led the village head and other family members to FETHA Annex, Nwezenyi where she attended antenatal before her delivery seeking the assistance of the nurses in tracing the suspect who is also a staff of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki leading to arrests, and recovery of the baby.
“The circumstances surrounding the trafficking of the second baby is still under investigation. The Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command, CP Aliyu Garba, has directed that the babies be accorded proper medical care and (kept) in a government facility while discreet investigation continues as he has vowed to prosecute anyone who is indicted according to the laws of the land.”
