An official of the Anambra State Government, has intercepted a 38-year-old woman in the state who was scouting for people who could buy her two sons from her.
The older son, whom she put up for sale, is nine years old while the other is eight.
The woman, Chinyere Chukwu, and her first daughter, Joy, have been arrested for the alleged offence, according to a statement by Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, a media aide to the State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo.
‘How they were caught’
Ms Ikeanyionwu, in the statement on Wednesday, said the woman and her 17-year-old daughter were arrested after Mrs Obinabo approached them and pretended to be a willing buyer.
The media aide said the commissioner’s action followed a tip-off that the suspects were looking for a buyer for the children.
Mrs Chukwu hails from Ozubulu, a community in the Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, but she resides in Okija, a community in the Ihiala Local Government Area of the state.
Why she did it
The statement said when Mrs Chukwu was questioned at Prof Dora Akunyili Women Development Center Awka, she said she and her daughter decided to sell the two sons because of economic hardship.
The suspect claimed she had 11 children, but could not cater for them, which pushed her to consider selling the two children.
She further said that she had only two children with her husband and gave birth to the remaining nine children after her husband’s death, but could not give them adequate care because of hardship.
Mrs Chukwu, according to the statement, said she had resolved to sell the two sons at N1 million each, but after bargaining, the two sons were “sold” to the commissioner for N1.8 million.
The suspect said she developed an interest in selling the children after her unnamed neighbour sold her children to some buyer.
She claimed this was her first time “selling” children.
On her part, the 17-year-old daughter, Joy, said the plan was to use the proceeds from the sale to fund her tertiary education.
Meanwhile, Mrs Obinabo has ordered that the remaining children of the suspect should be taken into the state government’s custody for proper care, the statement said.
She also directed that the suspect’s neighbour be arrested for allegedly selling her child, adding that contact tracing of the child will be carried out to retrieve the baby from the buyer.
The commissioner said the Anambra State Government is determined to eradicate crimes in the state. She warned that people who engage in any crime would be prosecuted.
