By Wisdom Nwedene, Abakaliki
Ebonyi State police command has finally apprehended three women said to be working at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (AE-FUTHA) over their alleged involvement in the trafficking of two newborn babies.
9news Nigeria gathered that the suspects identified as Ndidiamaka Enyinta, Chinenye Idam and Mary Jane Inya were arrested at Nwezenyi in Ebonyi State.
Police Spokesperson in Ebonyi State, DSP Loveth Odah, who disclosed this to journalists in Abakaliki, said that the suspects were arrested at Nwezenyi in Izzi Local Government Area in possession of two stolen babies.
According to Odah, one of the suspects, Chinenye Idam, allegedly purchased a three-day-old baby from Ndidiamaka Enyinta, a single mother of five, at the cost of four hundred thousand naira.
She said : ‘The suspects were arrested on Thursday, 10th December 2021, following a report to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) by a concerned citizen of the area who alleged that one of the suspects Maryjane was seen with two newborn babies suspected to have been stolen,’ Odah said.
‘Preliminary investigation revealed that one of the suspects Ndidiamaka Enyinta Emeka is the biological mother of the male child, that she delivered the baby on Wednesday 8th December 2021 at Mama Samuel Maternity Home Ndi-Eche Igbeagu in Izzi LGA of the State, a single mother of five (5) who now sold her newborn baby to the second suspect “Chinenye Idam at the cost of four hundred thousand Naira (400,000)
‘On Wednesday 8th December 2021, Chinenye Idam visited the Maternity home as agreed, paid the hospital bill of fourteen thousand Naira (N14000) and the cash sum of four hundred thousand (N400,000) to Ndidiamaka who in turn handed over the baby to her.
Ndidiamaka the baby’s mother went back to the village claiming that her newborn baby died after delivery but the village head and other family members insisted on knowing the circumstances surrounding the baby’s death. The suspect now led the village head and other family members to FETHA Annex Nwezenyi where she attended antenatal before her delivery seeking the assistance of the nurses in tracing the suspect who is also a staff of Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki leading to the arrest and recovery of the baby.
‘The circumstances surrounding the trafficking of the second baby is still under investigation.
‘The Commissioner of Police Ebonyi State Command, CP Aliyu Garba, has directed that the babies be accorded proper medical care and custody in a Government facility while discreet investigation continues as he has vowed to prosecute anyone who is indicted according to the laws of the land”.
