24-Year-Old Woman Arrested for Selling Sibling for N410,000

The Nigerian Police have arrested a 24-year-old woman, Blessing Okonkwo, for selling her three-year-old sibling, Friday Okonkwo, for N410,000. The incident occurred in Adamawa State, leaving the community in disbelief.

The mother of the victim, Hauwa Lawan, residing in Rimirgo in the Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, recounted her dismay and confusion over her daughter’s actions. According to Hauwa, Blessing had deceitfully taken the child under the pretense of enrolling him in a school in Mubi, about 40 kilometers away.

Instead, Blessing sold her brother to Efunaya Nabufe, who trafficked the child to Enugu city in the southeastern state of Enugu. Blessing confessed to using the money to buy a grinding machine for starting a business and gave N200,000 to her boyfriend for their traditional wedding.

Hauwa narrated, “She visited last year and lied about enrolling her brother in a city school. Ever since, she kept making excuses whenever I tried to contact him. It never crossed my mind that she could do this.”

The situation came to light when Blessing’s proposed marriage brought the truth to the surface. Her father demanded to know the child’s whereabouts before approving the marriage. After lying about the child’s death, Blessing’s father consulted an oracle, which revealed the child was alive. Under pressure, Blessing admitted the child was living with a woman in Enugu.

Following this revelation, Hauwa reported the matter to the police, leading to the swift arrest of Blessing and the trafficker, Efunaya Nabufe. The spokesperson for the Adamawa State Police, SP Suleiman Nguroje, confirmed the arrests, stating that an investigation is ongoing.

“On July 2, 2024, Hauwa Lawan reported her son’s disappearance. The Commissioner of Police, Dankombo Morris, ordered an investigation, resulting in the apprehension of Blessing Okonkwo and Efunaya Nabufe,” Nguroje said. “The suspects are providing useful information and will be charged according to the laws of the land.”