By Ruth Oginyi
A single mother of five children, Ndidiamaka Enyinta Emeka from Izzi, has been arrested by Ebonyi Police Command for selling her newborn baby boy.
She sold the newborn at N400,000.00, police said.
The suspect was arrested December 10th, 2021 alongside two other culprits who connived with her to commit the crime.
The police, however, disclosed that they have recovered the two-week-old baby and another baby also sold by another parent.
The suspect, Ndidiamaka, had told members of her family that she lost the baby during birth, a story her family members doubted.
Ebonyi Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Loveth Odah, confirmed the arrest, adding that staff of Alex Ekwueme Teaching Hospital were also arrested in connection with the case.
Odah said the Commissioner of Police in the State, Aliyu Garba, has directed that the babies be accorded proper medical care and custody in a government facility while the discreet investigation continues.
The CP, according to the PPRO, vowed to prosecute anyone who is indicted in the case.
She said, “In its efforts to sustain the fight against child trafficking in Ebonyi State, the Nigeria Police Force Operatives, attached to Izzi Divisional Headquarters of the Command arrested three (3), female suspects.
“The suspects, are Ndidiamaka Enyinta Emeka, Chinenye Idam all staff of Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki, and Maryjane Inya a principal Nurse Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital Annex, Nwezenyi, Izzi LGA of the State and recovered two babies, (male and female) of between the ages of 3 days and two weeks old.
“The suspects were arrested on Thursday, 10th December 2021 following a report to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) 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 Enyinta Emeka is the biological mother of the male child, that she delivered the baby on Wednesday 8th December 2021 at Mama Samuel Maternity Home Ndi-Eche Igbeagu in Izzi LGA of the State, a single mother of five (5) who now sold her newborn baby to the second suspect “Chinenye Idam at the cost of four hundred thousand Naira (400,000).
“On Wednesday 8th December 2021, Chinenye Idam visited the Maternity home as agreed, paid the hospital bill of fourteen thousand Naira (N14000) and the cash sum of four hundred thousand (#400,000) 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 Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki leading to the arrest and recovery of the baby.
“The circumstances surrounding the trafficking of the second baby is still under investigation.
