The Imo State Command of the Nigeria Nigeria Police Force has arrested a woman who sold her newborn baby just six hours after the male child was born for N850,000.
Chinonye Oparaocha, the mother, was part of a five-member child trafficking syndicate arrested by operatives of the Imo State Police Command.
The other suspects are Confidence Anyanwu, 28; Duru Christian, 38; George Iyowuna, 38, and William Cynthia, 44.
Parading the suspects at the state command headquarters in Owerri on Saturday, Rabiu Ladodo, the Commissioner of Police, said the mother of the baby conspired with Anyanwu, a nurse at the hospital, where she was delivered of the baby to sell the child.
Ladodo disclosed that the baby was taken to Rivers State and sold to Christian, who was accompanied by Iyowuna to receive the baby.
The CP said: “On February 8, 2019, at an undisclosed clinic on Nekede Road in the Owerri West LGA, one Chinonye Oparaocha was delivered of a baby boy.
“The woman immediately conspired with one Confidence Anyanwu, a nurse and native of Umuhu Okwuato in the Aboh Mbaise LGA, in company with her husband, Amanze Anyanwu (at large), and carried the six hours old baby to Port Harcourt in Rivers State, where one Duru Christian, was standing by.”
Ladodo explained that proper investigation and diligence by operatives of the Imo police command led to the arrest of the suspects.
He said: “George Iyowuna met them at their hideout, took the baby boy and handed him over to a prospective buyer, William Cynthia and her husband, who eventually paid the sum of N850,000.
“On April 13, operatives of the Scorpion Squad of the command, after diligent investigation, arrested these five suspects, including the mother of the baby and the nurse, who delivered her of the baby.”
The CP stated that the suspects had provided valuable information, adding that the police were on the chase for the other suspects at large.
He added the suspects would be charged to court at the conclusion of investigation.
