From Blessing Ibunge, Port Harcourt
Five women who were at the verge of selling a two-weeks old baby for N1.1 million have been arrested by the operatives of the Rivers State Police Command.
The AUTHORITY gathered that the suspects were arrested at Rumuokuta Junction in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, while negotiating the purchase of the baby with the buyer.
A senior police officer who disclosed the development to newsmen in Port Harcourt, noted that investigation has commenced and that the suspects would be prosecuted upon conclusion.
The prime suspect in the crime, Roseline Nwokocha, who had cash N1.1million in her bag, said she came with her sister, Chioma, from Umuahia, Abia State, for the illegal business.
Nwokocha said: “I came from Umuahia. I was arrested at Rumuokuta junction. This my sister, Chi Chi called me that there was a two-week old baby for sale and asked me to come if I had somebody that will buy the baby.
“I decided to come and check the baby very well. She told me the baby was N1m but I decided to come and see the baby first. I came with my sister. This is not the first time I came to buy a baby.
“The time I came to buy the other one, my sister also came with me. I bought the first one at N1.1million. But this one, I also collected N1.1million from the person that wanted the child”.
The suspect told the police in her confessional statement that she gave the first baby to a couple in Aba.
Another suspect who gave her name as Ify, said the middle person, Chi Chi, had told her that someone wanted to sell her baby and they agreed for N950,000.
Ify disclosed that Chi Chi later added N50,000 profit to sell the baby to Nwokocha, who would later hand over the baby to a couple in Aba.
According to her: “Somebody called to tell me that there was a baby available for sale. And I told her I would buy the baby for N950,000. I told Chi Chi who added N50,000 to sell the baby”.
Meanwhile the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP. Nnamdi Omoni, has confirmed the incident.
