The Cross River State Police Command on Thursday foiled a child trafficking attempt in Calabar.
The police also recovered a baby boy, whose name was witheld.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. John Eluu, who made the disclosure in Calabar, said the police had on October 27 received information that one Maria Ekanem, who had just been delivered of a baby two weeks earlier was negotiating for the sale of her baby.
Eluu said that Ekanem allegedly negotiated with one Mrs. Sunday Abang, the matron of Sedatoe Maternity Clinic located at Umon Street, Calabar South, for sale of the baby.
The PPRO added that one Dr. Okokon Offiong, who ran Evangel Clinic, was also contacted to sell the baby for an undisclosed amount.
He said, “Ekanem was on her way to where she and the buyers had agreed to meet at Inyang by Fuller Street and on arrival, she was given the sum of N20,000 as part payment for the transaction.
“On receipt of the information, a team of police detectives swung into action leading to the arrest of five suspects, and the recovery of the baby boy and a white Toyota RAV4 Jeep with registration No. JP493ABC used during the operation.”
According to Eluu, investigation is still ongoing. He said the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigation was concluded.
“We are warning all trouble makers that the command will not spare them in its effort to weed criminal elements out of the state”, the PPRO said.
Responding, Ekanem, (mother of the baby), said she had no intention of selling her child.
She added that she wanted to give out the child for proper care since she could not afford to take care of the child.
“I had no intention of selling my child. I don’t have money to take care of the child that was why I wanted to give him out to someone to help me take good care of him. I am not working, so I don’t have money to take care of him and even feed myself,” she lamented.
The police also recovered a baby boy, whose name was witheld.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. John Eluu, who made the disclosure in Calabar, said the police had on October 27 received information that one Maria Ekanem, who had just been delivered of a baby two weeks earlier was negotiating for the sale of her baby.
Eluu said that Ekanem allegedly negotiated with one Mrs. Sunday Abang, the matron of Sedatoe Maternity Clinic located at Umon Street, Calabar South, for sale of the baby.
The PPRO added that one Dr. Okokon Offiong, who ran Evangel Clinic, was also contacted to sell the baby for an undisclosed amount.
He said, “Ekanem was on her way to where she and the buyers had agreed to meet at Inyang by Fuller Street and on arrival, she was given the sum of N20,000 as part payment for the transaction.
“On receipt of the information, a team of police detectives swung into action leading to the arrest of five suspects, and the recovery of the baby boy and a white Toyota RAV4 Jeep with registration No. JP493ABC used during the operation.”
According to Eluu, investigation is still ongoing. He said the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigation was concluded.
“We are warning all trouble makers that the command will not spare them in its effort to weed criminal elements out of the state”, the PPRO said.
Responding, Ekanem, (mother of the baby), said she had no intention of selling her child.
She added that she wanted to give out the child for proper care since she could not afford to take care of the child.
“I had no intention of selling my child. I don’t have money to take care of the child that was why I wanted to give him out to someone to help me take good care of him. I am not working, so I don’t have money to take care of him and even feed myself,” she lamented.
No comments:
Post a Comment