Woman Arrested For Trying To Sell A One Week Old Baby In Lagos

 

A 25-year-old mother of four, Nkechi Obi, who

tried to sell a one-week-old baby boy, who was

stolen in Onitsha, Anambra State, to a barren

woman in Lagos, has been arrested.

The suspect, who claimed to be a farmer

and an apprentice in Onitsha, said she was

on her way to hand over the baby to the

buyer at Cele Bus Stop, along the Oshodi/

Apapa Express-way, when she was arrested.

It was gathered that the baby was stolen

from his biological mother, who ran away

from home when she found out she was

pregnant.

Trouble started for the suspect after the

driver of the vehicle she chartered from

Asaba, Delta State, became suspicious when

he observed that even though the baby

cried uncontrollably throughout the 6 hour

journey to Lagos, the suspect never

breastfed the baby. When he asked her

about his observation, she gave some

unsatisfactory explanation, the driver who

didn’t believe her explanation, was said to

have stopped at Oshodi, where he alerted

some policemen who proceeded to

interrogate Obi. It was during that process

that they discovered that the baby was not

hers.

She claimed that the baby was given to her

by her boss, whose identity she gave simply

as Ngozi.

She said:-

“I was in the shop located at 2 Ourline

Street, Onitsha Main Market on Tuesday,

when my madam, who I sell clothes for,

came and ordered me to go and change

into something better, that I was to

embark on a journey to Lagos.

“Thereafter, she handed the baby to me

and gave me a food flask and baby milk.

She only gave me the telephone number of

the woman I was to hand the baby over

to. The woman in question is barren. I

was to meet with her at Cele Bus Stop. The

would-be buyer was arrested.”

It was reported that the would-be buyer had

two female children, but opted to adopt a

male child due to pressure from her

husband who threatened to marry another

woman.

When asked if her Husband was aware of

her intentions, she said:

She said: “I got married aged 16 years to

Polycap Eze, who had no child from his

wife. I was brought in to bear children for

them. After the birth of my fourth child, he

drove me out of the house, saying I have

fulfilled the purpose for which he married

me.

“I moved in with one of my relatives who

later introduced me to my madam.”

Speaking on her arrest, Lagos State

Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni said:

“She claimed at first that her lover

abandoned her with the baby. Later, she

confessed that her aunt was a co-suspect.

Two other persons, who have connection

with the sale of the one-week-old baby,

were also arrested.

“We have kept the baby in proper custody

through the Family Support Unit. Further

investigation into the case has taken us to

the eastern part of the country where the

principal suspect lives.

“But she fled on hearing that we have

arrested Nkechi Obi. We will ensure that

everyone behind this case is arrested.”