The Rivers State police command has arrested a couple, Richard and Chidimma Benson, for selling their one-day-old baby boy for N200,000, so as to enable them to rent an apartment in the city.
On October 7, the suspects welcomed a baby boy at Grace Land Maternity Homes, owned by a quack nurse called Grace Daniel, in Afam Obigbo.
After delivery, the parents were paid N200,000 by one Mrs Rose Onyia and the baby was later resold to Mrs Eucharia Jaja of Omagwa, for N500,000 and thereafter, the baby was again resold to her potential client in Lagos.
Operatives are now on a trail to recover the baby. The child trafficking cartel operating in Obigbo-Afam and Omagwa, pay N150,000 for a girlchild and N200,000 for a boy.
The baby is later trafficked to an unknown destination for amounts between 1 to 1.5 million Naira. The couple, who hails from Abia State, confessed to the crime, saying it was hard times that forced them into the decision.
Narrating her part in the deal, the wife said: “I have given birth to four children, one is late. I have two now.
So when I became pregnant I told my husband that we would sell the baby and use the money to relocate from my village to township to start a better life. He refused but I forced him into agreeing with my plan.
My husband is a labourer, he is a wheelbarrow pusher. I owe debts everywhere and I needed to settle them. So, we sold the baby for N200,000 but I later learnt the baby was sold for N500,000.”
Her husband, Richard said: “We were owing N10,000 and the hardship was too much for us to bear. I went round seeking for help but no help came. We wanted to relocate to the township for a chance of a better life, that was why we sold the baby to enable us to raise money and rent an apartment in the city.” 📷: Guardian
