The 45-year-old Oluchukwu Nwosu was allegedly caught by the Anambra government after she allegedly sold her three-month-old grandchild for N50,000.
At a press conference on Sunday in Awka, the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Mrs. Ify Obinabo, revealed this.
Following persistent intelligence reports and surveillance that lasted over a month, Obinabo said that the infant had been saved.
The rescue effort was prompted by a report from Ijeoma Nwosu, who said that Oluchukwu, her mother, forcedly sold her baby soon after he was born and wouldn’t tell her where the kid was.
“The ministry acted right away to locate and capture the offenders after receiving the allegation.
“Four suspects who were involved in the crime have been located and will be given over to the police for questioning and additional investigation,” the statement continued.
“It’s awful that the infant appears ill and is underweight.
“According to the buyer, she has no money to purchase proper baby food and she resorted to feeding the baby with soya bean powder,” she said.
The commissioner expressed displeasure that unlawful adoption was still occurring in the state despite government efforts to stop it.
She issued a warning that those who engage in illegal adoption will face legal consequences.
Oluchukwu begged for pardon when speaking with reporters, claiming that the infant she sold was the third kid her daughter Ijeoma had outside of marriage.
“We are in need. We can’t afford to feed and care for the kids and ourselves.
“So, when I met one Tochukwu Asiegbu, we bargained and agreed that he will pay N50,000, and he paid me the money,” she recalled.
Asiegbu added that he just introduced Oluchukwu to the buyer and that he made N30,000 from the sale.
Evelyn Egwuatu, a buyer from Uruagu in Nnewi, claimed she paid N200,000 to Ebelechukwu Uba, an Anambra resident who is from Ebonyi, for the kid.
Uba, however, asserted that he merely served as an intermediary and that Asiegbu and Oluchukwu had chosen to sell the infant to Egwuatu. (NAN)
