A shocking child trafficking operation has been uncovered in Delta State, where an 11-day-old baby was sold for N4 million, while the biological mother received only N600,000 from the illicit deal.
The mother, identified only as Rachael, confessed that financial hardship led her to sell her newborn after being lured by a vendor who promised to help but later took advantage of her distress.
“The father of the child abandoned me when I was pregnant. I survived through the help of neighbors and well-wishers. After I delivered the baby girl, I was introduced to a woman who convinced me to sell her. I was given N600,000,” Rachael admitted.
Her suspicious neighbors raised concerns after noticing she was without the baby. Upon interrogation, she confessed to selling the child, leading to her arrest alongside two other female suspects.
How the Trafficking Syndicate Operated
Investigations by the Delta State Police Command revealed that the vendor sold the baby for N3.5 million but only gave Rachael N570,000, claiming she deducted N30,000 previously loaned to the struggling mother.
The final buyer, a woman from Delta State, paid N4 million for the infant.
Police Clamp Down on Baby Trafficking Rings
Speaking on the disturbing trend, the Public Relations Officer of the Delta State Police Command, SP Bright Edafe, vowed to dismantle the growing baby trafficking networks across the country.
“We have realized that baby factory operations are on the rise, and we are going to fight them head-on. Just recently, we intercepted three women attempting to transport three different children to Abuja via Asaba International Airport. Today, we have arrested three more suspects in this case,” Edafe stated.
The rescued baby is currently in police custody, while authorities continue investigations. The suspects will be charged accordingly as police intensify their crackdown on child trafficking syndicates in Nigeria.
