Imo State police arrested a couple, Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and Glory Nwachukwu for selling their four-month-old son, Marvelous, for N400,000.
Parading the couple and other suspects at the command’s headquarters in Owerri on Wednesday, the state Commissioner of Police, Dasuki Galadanchi, said the action of the couple, who hail from Umueme Obike in the Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of the state, was despicable.
Apart from selling their four months old son, the CP said the suspects equally abducted and sold two other babies.
The police boss said, “The suspects were arrested by the operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the command on July 20 at Umuokai Owerre-Nta, in the Isiala Ngwa South LGA of Abia State.
“The suspects conspired and lured one Jovita of Irrette, in the Owerri West LGA to Naze, in the Owerri North LGA, where they tactically stole her two children, Adaugo Oliver (30) and Daniel Oliver (6 months). They sold the children to unidentified persons.
“They have confessed to the crime and other child trafficking cases in Imo State.”
Galadanchi said police peratives were trailing other fleeing members of the gang.
The police boss said the breakthrough was as a result of the synergy that existed between his command and members of the public.
While urging residents of the state to keep providing policemen with useful information, Galadanchi said the community policing strategy of the Inspector-General of Police was yielding dividends.
One of the suspects, Ugochukwu, told reporters that he sold his son for N400,000 because of hardship, adding that he used the money to buy a motorcycle.
He equally stated that he was given N200,000 from the N400,000 realised from the sale of another child.
He promised to turn over a new leaf if given the opportunity.