A one-week-old baby girl has become the centre of an alleged child trafficking case involving four women, following the arrest of a suspected trafficking syndicate accused of selling the infant for ₦3 million in Cross River State.
The four suspects, all female, were arrested following intervention by youths in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State, who apprehended them and handed them over to the State Security Adviser to the Governor, who subsequently transferred them to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for investigation.
The suspects are Glory Kingsley Ukpong, also known as Umoh Effangha Edet, who allegedly sold the baby; Ikora Patience Ogobi, also known as Mary Solomon Eroma, who allegedly purchased the child; and Juliet Efuk Eyong, also known as Love, and Patience Akumuruk Ngazi, who were allegedly involved in the transaction.
The case has since progressed to the Federal High Court, Calabar, where the suspects are facing trial over the alleged trafficking of the infant.
The Head of Operations, NAPTIP, Cross River State Command, Calabar, OBA Jacob A., said the case demonstrated the grave consequences of treating children as commodities for financial gain.
According to him, the alleged transaction involved a baby who was barely a week old when she was reportedly taken and sold.
“The allegation before the court is that the one-week-old baby girl was stolen and subsequently sold for ₦3 million,” he said.
OBA said the intervention of youths in the area was instrumental in bringing the suspects to the attention of security authorities, after which the State Security Adviser handed them over to NAPTIP for further investigation.
He said the agency subsequently commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged removal and sale of the child and the roles allegedly played by each of the suspects.
The alleged seller, Glory Kingsley Ukpong, is from Obot Akara in Akwa Ibom State, while the alleged buyer, Ikora Patience Ogobi, is from Ohana Village in Obubra Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The other two suspects, Ngazi and Eyong, are respectively from Apiapum and Ochon villages in Obubra Local Government Area.
OBA said the case was already before the Federal High Court in Calabar, stressing that the judicial process would determine the culpability or otherwise of the accused persons.
He appealed to members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements involving children to the appropriate authorities.
The NAPTIP official also commended the youths who apprehended the suspects and the State Security Adviser for ensuring that the case was transferred to the appropriate law-enforcement agency rather than allowing the matter to be handled outside the legal process.
The development has again drawn attention to the vulnerability of newborns and other children to trafficking networks, as authorities continue efforts to disrupt the movement and commercial exploitation of children.
NAPTIP said its investigation and the ongoing court proceedings would establish the circumstances of the alleged trafficking and the individual roles of the four accused persons.
