A 38-year-old woman has been arrested for attempting to sell her two sons, aged 9 and 7 years, in Anambra State.
The suspect, Chinyere Chukwu, who conspired with her first daughter, Joy Chukwu, 17, was apprehended by the Anambra State Women and Social Welfare Commissioner, Mrs Ify Obinabo, who posed as the buyer following a tip-off.
Reports said the suspects were lured from Okija to Awka where they were nabbed.
Confessing to the crime, the 38-year-old widow blamed the act on economic hardship, adding that she agreed with her first daughter to sell her two sons to be able to cope with the economic hardship facing them.
She revealed that she had 11 children, two for her husband while she had the remaining nine after her husband’s death. She lamented that she has not been able to give her children adequate love and care due to excessive hardship.
Recounting her ugly act, she narrated that they originally wanted to sell the boys for two million naira because they were males. But after serious bargaining by the buyer, unknown to them to be the Commissioner for Women Affairs, they decided to sell them at N1,800,000 million.
While pleading for pardon as it was her first attempt, the suspect further revealed that she developed an interest in the business following her neighbour’s successful sale of her kids.
On her part, the daughter and eldest of the 11 children, said she planned to use the proceeds from the sale to further her tertiary education.
Reacting, the Commissioner ordered the arrest of the neighbour, while the remaining children were taken into government custody for proper care.
She further directed contact tracing of the neighbour’s kid to retrieve the child.
Obinabo, who was visibly sad over the incident, assured of the government’s resolve in eradicating crimes, warning that anyone found culpable would be handed over to police for prosecution.
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