Couple sells baby for N200,000

[Mirror]

A 28-year old man, Chibueze Mba Chukwuma and his wife, Adaeze Mba, are presently being held by the Lagos State Police Command for illegal abduction and sale of three babies.

Man and wife, who were paraded alongside two other accomplices, Benedict Ogbonna and Patricia Abogwu, confessed to have sold their unborn child (seven months old pregnancy) for N200, 000 and had collected an advance payment of N100, 000 aside their active involvement in the sale of the aforementioned three babies (names withheld) abducted in Lagos.

According to Chibueze, he started the business a year ago after fleeing his hometown in Imo State for impregnating a lady he simply identified as Ojugu out of wedlock. He said: "It all started after Ojugo became pregnant with my baby and her father vowed not to allow us marry. He threatened to deal with me and he is rich and influential.

So, Ojugo and I decided to run away from Imo to Rivers State. "We had only N20, 000 on us at the time and since that could not sustain us for long. I met a friend, Dozie, who introduced Benedict to me.

We reasoned that since we did not have any means to take care of the baby, we should sell the child to someone in need. "So, they promised to pay N100, 000. They only gave me N30, 000 and I never received the outstanding amount till now.

They later took Ojugo home and took care of her, till she gave birth to a baby boy who she left with them. That was how I started selling babies for Benedict." He confessed before reporters that he had sold three babies so far to Benedict.

Benedict confirmed Chibueze's story, adding that she sold two of the children to a woman who is still at large and the baby boy to Patricia for N600, 000. She said, she never thought it was illegal, since she only sells them to those in need of children and capable of taking care of them.

In her statement, Patricia said she got involved because her marriage of 27 years old is not blessed with a child. She said: "I needed a child so desperately because I have been married for 27 years without one.

A friend introduced me to Benedict and she promised to help get a baby boy for adoption. Later, she brought the boy (name withheld) and I paid her N600, 000." Parading the suspects, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ngozi Braide said Chibueze usually used his wife to abduct the kids, after which he takes them to Rivers State to be sold to Benedict.

According to her, Ada will get close to family of the victims and start playing with the child. She would then take him or her for a walk and disappear from there.

She said: "I will advise parents to be very watchful of their children and be careful too. I can say the case of that four year old boy was as a result of carelessness, because Ada went to the shop of the mother to buy provisions.

When she got there, she started playing with the boy until the she disappeared without the mother's knowledge and consent." She said investigation on the matter is continuing as efforts are on to arrest the fleeing suspects.

National Mirror