A 23-year-old woman, Mrs Chinonye Oparaocha, and other suspects have been arrested by police for allegedly selling her six hours old baby for a whopping sum of N850,000, shortly after delivery at a hospital along Nekede road in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo state.

The woman and other child trafficking syndicate suspects were arrested by the Imo state police command, yesterday in Owerri.

The Vanguard reports have gathered from the state Police Public Relation Officer, PPRO, Orlando Ikeokwu, that the baby, who is a baby boy was sold by someone said to be a nurse, Mrs. Confidence Anyanwu, 28-year-old female nurse, who facilitated the shady deal.

The PPRO added that Confidence, together with her husband, Amaeze Anyanwu, who is said to be at large conspired to sell the child, both of them are resident at 41 Mbaise road in Owerri.

According to the Vanguard reports, Ikeokwu has said that other suspects who were identified as members of the child trafficking syndicate included Duru Christain, male, 38-year-old; George Iyowuna, female, 38-year-old; William Cynthia, female, 44-year-old.

According to the police, the reports said, Duru in company with Iyowuna collected the baby from the nurse, Mrs Confidence, and handed the child to the buyer, Mrs Cynthia, at Port Harcourt, who paid them N850,000.

However, the police said that the child has been recovered. According to a release by the command, “On 8/02/2019, at an undisclosed clinic along Nekede Road in Owerri West L.G.A, one Chinonye Oparaocha was delivered of a baby boy.

“The said Chinonye Oparaocha later conspired with one Confidence Anyanwu, a nurse and native of Umuhu Okwuato in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area but resident at No. 41 Mbaise Road Owerri in company of her husband Amaeze Anyanwu now at large who carried the six (6) hours born baby to Port – Harcourt in Rivers State where one Duru Christian was waiting for them.

“On arrival at Port – Harcourt, Duru Christian in the company of one Mrs George Iyowuna met them at the hideout, took over the baby boy and handed over to a prospective buyer one Mrs William Cynthia and her husband who eventually paid the sum of N850, 000.00 (eight hundred and fifty thousand naira) on 13/04/2019.

“Operatives of the Scorpion Squad arrested the above-named suspects and recovered the newly born baby boy Abiya William while efforts are on-going to arrest the fleeing members of the syndicate. Suspects have made useful statements to the police concerning the crime and are helping the police in the investigation.”