Couple Arrested for Attempting to Sell Their Two-Year-Old Baby to Fund Relocation Abroad

A couple in Lagos has been apprehended by the police for allegedly attempting to sell their two-year-old baby to finance their move to Canada.

The suspects, 28-year-old Uchenna Eziekwe and his wife, Chinenye, were taken into custody by officers from the Isolo Divisional Police Station following a tip-off from the management of Isolo General Hospital. According to the police, the couple planned to use the money from the sale of their child to seek a better life abroad.

Sources reveal that Uchenna and Chineye approached the Isolo General Hospital with their intention to sell their baby boy. The hospital management, after agreeing to the couple’s proposal, informed the police at the Isolo Division, leading to the couple’s arrest.

When questioned, the couple cited severe economic hardship as the reason for their drastic decision. Uchenna, speaking to journalists, expressed their desperation, stating, “It was a difficult decision, but we had no choice but to sell our baby. We felt it would be better to sell him to someone who can take care of him than to allow him to die of hunger.” He admitted that he was the mastermind behind the plan, convincing his wife to go along with it despite her initial reluctance.

Lagos State Police spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, provided details of the arrest, explaining, “On Tuesday, around 2:45 pm, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Isolo Police Station received information that a couple went to Isolo General Hospital and declared their intention to sell their baby boy.” He added, “Upon receipt of the information, operatives from the station moved swiftly to the hospital, where Uchenna Eziekwe, 28, and Chineye Eziekwe, 22, were about to sell their child.”

The two-year-old boy has been rescued, and the couple is now facing charges for their actions. The incident underscores the severe economic pressures faced by many families in the country, prompting extreme measures in the search for better opportunities abroad.