Rejoice Izuchukwu,mother of the sold a day-old baby boy.

Couple wanted to use the proceeds for traditional wedding, hoping that another baby could be born.

Okafor Ofiebor/ Port Harcourt

Rivers State Police Command has paraded a couple, a proprietor of a private maternity facility and nurses suspected to be members of a seven-member child trafficking located Igwuruta in Ikwerre local government area of the state.

According to the Police, the suspects conspired and sold off a day-old baby boy at the cost of N900,000 with the  consent of the  parents of the baby who allegedly complained that they needed money to pay for hospital bill and their traditional marriage ceremony.

The couple paraded, Mr Success Izuchukwu and Mrs Rejoice Izuchukwu were parents of the innocent baby.

The suspects were arrested by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad SARS after the brother-In-law to the husband reported the plan to sell off the baby at Igwuruta, Ikwerre Local Government Area, where one Florence Jonah, a 56 year old woman was arrested.

She confessed to have conspired with the father of the child,  one Izuchukwu Success to sell the baby to waiting buyers at cost of Nine Hundred Thousand Naira (900,000).

A seven-member child trafficking syndicate.

The Spokesman of the Police Command, Nnamdi Omoni told journalists that though the buyers are on the run, investigation has been launched to unravel the motives behind the selling of the baby.

SP Omoni said all the suspects were arrested in less than twenty-four hours on August 3,2020 after their heinous plan was reported.

He added that upon his arrest, the father led the Police to Better life Clinic, Eneka, where the child who had been sold, was eventually recovered and handed over to his real mother,  Rejoice Izuchukwu. Both mother and child are in stable condition.

Speaking to Journalists, Mr.and Mrs. Izuchukwu who was accused of initiating the sale  of their baby boy denied giving consent to the alleged crime.

On their part, the owner of the maternity home, Florence Jonah, who is also the midwife and four nurses, Ogum Ifeoma ‘f’ 22yrs,  Beauty Nnodim ‘f’ 25yrs, Isabella Chika ‘f’ 20yrs and Blessing Udoh ‘f’ 20yrs from two different clinics explained the roles they played in the attempt to sell the one- day old baby boy.

They are also helping the police in investigation and would be charged to court as soon as investigation is over.