Mrs. Chukwu, who hails from Okija in Ihiala Local Government Area of the state was said to have connived with her 17-year-old daughter identified as Joy, who is the eldest of the children, to sell her two sons citing reason of “due to the economic hardship in the country.”
A 38-year-old mother of 11 children identified as Mrs. Chinyere Chukwu has been arrested by the Anambra State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare for attempting to sell her two sons.
Mrs. Chukwu, who hails from Okija in Ihiala Local Government Area of the state was said to have connived with her 17-year-old daughter identified as Joy, who is the eldest of the children, to sell her two sons citing reason of “due to the economic hardship in the country.”
During interrogation at the Women Affairs Ministry in Awka, the state capital, Mrs Chukwu explained that she had 11 kids and decided to sell two of them when she could not cater to them.
Also, Mrs Chukwu’s 17-year-old daughter, Joy said that their plan was to use the proceeds of the trafficking to advance her tertiary education.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, said she led some security operatives to arrest the suspects late on Tuesday after posing as buyers for the children following information about the illegal transaction obtained by the ministry.
Obinabo said, “I have 11 kids and when I could not cater to them, I decided to sell two of them. Since they are boys, the prices were kept at N1 million each but after serious bargaining by the commissioner, who posed as the buyer, we decided to sell them at N1.8 million, instead of the initial N2 million.
“I developed an interest in the business and decided to embark on such an adventure after my neighbour successfully sold one of her kids. This was my first attempt at the business.
“I had only two kids for my husband and got the remaining nine children after my husband’s demise and ever since then, I have not been able to give them adequate care and support.”
The Commissioner ordered that the remaining children of the suspect be taken into the state government’s custody for proper care.
She vowed to also arrest Mrs Chukwu's neighbour who is said to have sold off her children too.
Obinabo further directed that after the neighbour has been arrested, contact tracing of the sold children would be made to retrieve them, stressing that the state government has resolved to eradicate crimes, especially human trafficking in the state.
She also warned that anyone found engaging in human trafficking would be handed over to the police for prosecution.