A couple and an accomplice have been arrested by the Anambra State Government through the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare. The suspects have been handed over to the police over alleged human trafficking in Ifitedunu, Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state.
This was made known in a statement by the media aide to the Women Affairs Commissioner, Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, on Facebook on Tuesday. According to the statement, the arrest was made possible after the community chairman, Mr Arinzechukwu Azodo, notified the Women Affairs Commissioner, Ify Obinabo, about a suspected trafficking incident in the community.
According to Mr Azodo, he was alerted by his team commander over a report of suspected trafficking taking place in the community and quickly informed the com- missioner, who instructed him to arrest the suspects. Upon arrest, it was discovered that the suspects were about to seal a deal worth one million naira. One of the suspects, Ebere, confessed that she was approached by another suspect, Temple Nwankwo, who offered to sell her twin baby. Ebere claimed she agreed to partner with Temple and link her up with a prospective buyer.
However, Temple denied any involvement in the alleged transaction. The statement said, “Ebere said she accepted to partner with her and went further to link her up to a prospective buyer who needed a male child urgently.
Ebere in her confession said that after their negotiation, they agreed to meet at Oye Agu to further seal the transaction but instead, Temple requested an instant payment of one million naira in her account which the buyer objected to because he hadn’t seen the baby in question which brought disagreement among them before Temple changed her mind and left them.
“On the alleged seller’s part, Temple Nwankwo from Enugu State but resident at Ifitedunu, she denied ever having to be in any type of business with Ebere but explained that she only reconnected with her when she was four months pregnant. Temple in her defence said it was Ebere who actually asked for her help in getting a male child because she’s not been able to have a child of her own.
