A staff of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki and a principal Nurse, at the hospital’s Annex at Nwezenyi, in the Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi state, has been arrested by the police over child trafficking.
The State Police spokesperson, Mrs Loveth Odah, who disclosed this in a statement, on Tuesday night, said the Command also recovered two babies, male and female between the ages of three days and two weeks.
She said the suspects – Ndidiamaka Enyinta Emeka, Chinenye Idam and Maryjane Inya were arrested on December 10, following a report to the Divisional Police Officer 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.
Odah stated that preliminary investigation revealed that one of the suspects, Ndidiamaka Enyinta Emeka is the biological mother of the male child, adding that she delivered the baby on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, at Mama Samuel Maternity Home, Ndi-Eche Igbeagu in Izzi LGA of the state.
She said the suspect is a single mother of five who sold her newborn baby to the second suspect, Chinenye Idam at the cost of N400,000.
The statement read, “On Wednesday 8th December 2021, Chinenye Idam visited the Maternity home as agreed, paid the hospital bill of fourteen thousand Naira (N14,000) and the cash sum of four hundred thousand (N400,000) 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.
“The Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command, CP Aliyu Garba, has directed that the babies be accorded proper medical care and custody in a government facility while discreet investigation continues. This is as he has vowed to prosecute anyone who is indicted according to the laws of the land.”