Police bust a seven-member child trafficking syndicate, recover a day-old baby boy sold off in Rivers

*Couple wanted to use the proceeds for traditional wedding, hoping that another baby could be born.

BY IBRAHIM BAKARE

Rivers State Police Command has paraded a couple, Proprietoress of  a private maternity and nurses suspected to be members of a seven-member child trafficking located at Igwuruta in Ikwerre local government area of the state.

Rejoice Izuchukwu, mother of the sold a day-old baby boy.

Success Izuchukwu, Father of the sold baby boy

A seven-member child trafficking syndicate.

SP Nnamdi Omoni,Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer.

 The suspects conspired and sold off a day-old baby boy at the cost of N900,000 with the  consent of the  parents of the baby with excuse that they needed money to pay both the hospital bill and spend for their traditional marriage ceremony.

The parents of the innocent baby, Mr Success Izuchukwu and Mrs Rejoice Izuchukwu were also paraded.

The suspects were arrested by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad SARS after the brother-Inlaw to the husband reported the plan to sell off the baby at Igwuruta, Ikwerre Local Government Area, where one Florence Jonah, a 56 year old woman was arrested. She confessed to have conspired with the father of the child,  one Izuchukwu Success to sell the baby to waiting buyers at cost of Nine Hundred Thousand Naira (900,000).

The Spokesman of the Police Command, Nnamdi Omoni told journalists that though the buyers are on the run investigation has been launched to unravel the motives behind the selling of the baby.

SP Omoni who said all the suspects were arrested in less than twenty-four hours on August 3, 2020, stating that  upon his arrest, the father led the Police to Better life Clinic, Eneka, where the child who had been sold, was eventually recovered and handed over to his real mother,  Rejoice Izuchukwu. Both mother and child are in stable condition. 

Speaking to Journalists, Mr. and Mrs. Izuchukwu who was accused of initiating the selling off of their baby boy denied giving consent to the alleged crime. 

On their part, the owner of the maternity home, Florence Jonah, who is also the midwife and four nurses, Ogum Ifeoma ‘f’ 22yrs,  Beauty Nnodim ‘f’ 25yrs, Isabella Chika ‘f’ 20yrs and Blessing Udoh ‘f’ 20yrs from two different clinics explained their role that led to the selling of the day old baby boy. They are also helping the police  in Investigation and would be charged to Court as soon as Investigation is over.

While the nurses and the midwife claimed the parents voluntarily sold off their baby due to financial constraints denied ever participating in the crime.