A 25-year-old mother of four, Nkechi Obi, who tried to sell a one-week-old baby boy, who was stolen in Onitsha, Anambra State, to a barren woman in Lagos, has been arrested.
The suspect, who claimed to be a farmer and an apprentice in Onitsha, said she was on her way to hand over the baby to the buyer at Cele Bus Stop, along the Oshodi/Apapa Express-way, when she was arrested.
It was gathered that the baby was stolen from his biological mother, who ran away from home when she found out she was pregnant.
Trouble started for the suspect after the driver of the vehicle she chartered from Asaba, Delta State, became suspicious when he observed that even though the baby cried uncontrollably throughout the 6 hour journey to Lagos, the suspect never breastfed the baby. When he asked her about his observation, she gave some unsatisfactory explanation, the driver who didn’t believe her explanation, was said to have stopped at Oshodi, where he alerted some policemen who proceeded to interrogate Obi. It was during that process that they discovered that the baby was not hers.
She claimed that the baby was given to her by her boss, whose identity she gave simply as Ngozi.
She said:-
“I was in the shop located at 2 Ourline Street, Onitsha Main Market on Tuesday, when my madam, who I sell clothes for, came and ordered me to go and change into something better, that I was to embark on a journey to Lagos.
“Thereafter, she handed the baby to me and gave me a food flask and baby milk. She only gave me the telephone number of the woman I was to hand the baby over to. The woman in question is barren. I was to meet with her at Cele Bus Stop. The would-be buyer was arrested.”
It was reported that the would-be buyer had two female children, but opted to adopt a male child due to pressure from her husband who threatened to marry another woman.
When asked if her Husband was aware of her intentions, she said:
She said: “I got married aged 16 years to Polycap Eze, who had no child from his wife. I was brought in to bear children for them. After the birth of my fourth child, he drove me out of the house, saying I have fulfilled the purpose for which he married me.
“I moved in with one of my relatives who later introduced me to my madam.”
Speaking on her arrest, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni said:
“She claimed at first that her lover abandoned her with the baby. Later, she confessed that her aunt was a co-suspect. Two other persons, who have connection with the sale of the one-week-old baby, were also arrested.
“We have kept the baby in proper custody through the Family Support Unit. Further investigation into the case has taken us to the eastern part of the country where the principal suspect lives.
“But she fled on hearing that we have arrested Nkechi Obi. We will ensure that everyone behind this case is arrested.”
