Police Arrest Anambra Couple for Allegedly Selling Baby Girl for N1 Million

The Nigerian police have arrested a couple, Temple and Ndubuisi Nwankwo, along with their accomplice, Ebere, for attempting to sell their baby girl for N1 million.

The arrests were facilitated by the Anambra State government, through the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare. The incident occurred in Ifitedunu, Dunukofia Local Government Area.

The couple and Ebere were apprehended following a detailed investigation led by community chairman Arinzechukwu Azodo. Azodo alerted the Women Affairs Commissioner, Ify Obinabo, after receiving reports of suspicious activity from his team commander.

According to a statement released on Tuesday by Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, the media aide to the Women Affairs Commissioner, Azodo quickly informed the commissioner about the suspected trafficking. Following her directive, he moved to apprehend the suspects.

Azodo’s statement revealed that the suspects were about to finalize the sale of their baby girl for N1 million when they were caught. During the interrogation, Ebere confessed that Temple, her close friend, had approached her with a proposal to sell twin babies, having already sold one. Ebere linked Temple to a prospective buyer in need of a male child, but a disagreement over payment terms led to their capture.

Temple, however, denied involvement in any trafficking scheme, claiming that Ebere had asked her for help in acquiring a male child due to her inability to have children. Temple asserted that she had repeatedly warned Ebere to stay away, yet Ebere continued to visit her house in her absence.

Community members suspect that Temple and her husband, Ndubuisi, are involved in trafficking, as they have not seen some of their children for a long time. When questioned about the whereabouts of their other two children, the couple claimed the children had died. However, they could not provide any witnesses to the burials, raising further suspicion.

Women Affairs Commissioner Ify Obinabo, visibly upset by the incident, handed the suspects over to the police for further investigation and prosecution. The case highlights the ongoing challenges of human trafficking in the region and underscores the need for vigilant community involvement in combating such crimes.