Man arrested for selling sister's child in Abia

The police in Abia State have arrested a 28-year-old man, God­spower Emeka, a resident of Orji Street, Obehie, for alleg­edly stealing his sister’s three-year old child and selling same for N150,000.

Commissioner of Police, Mr Leye Oyebade who pa­raded the suspect in Umua­hia said the incident oc­curred on May 28. He said the man’s sister had kept the child in the custody of her neighbour before traveling when the suspect went to herr and demanded that the child be released to him.

The neighbour, Mrs Ange­la Oscar, said she had no mis­givings obliging the suspect’s request since he was living together with her sister who kept the child in her custody.

She however said she started suspecting foul play when shortly after collect­ing the child, the suspect re­turned and denied ever col­lecting her insisting that she was still in her custody.

She said neighbours ad­vised her to alert the police which led to the arrest of the suspect who has confessed to the crime.

He later led the police to Port Harcourt where he had taken the child to an agent awaiting to be paid N150,000 by the buyer.

Police also arrested the agent – one Kelvin Og­bunigwe from Ezinihite Mbaise in Imo State. Og­bunigwe said they were still awaiting N150,000 pay­ment by the woman who promised to buy the child, adding that it was his first attempt in a human traf­ficking deal.

Meanwhile, the princi­pal suspect, Emeka said he decided to sell his niece to lessen the heavy financial burden of fending for a family of 11 because of eco­nomic hardship.