Man Sells Baby For N400,000 To Boost His Business

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 28-
year-old man, Okwuchukwu Ibekwe, for allegedly
selling his five-month-old son to a syndicate in
Anambra State for N400,000.
A Punch correspondent learnt that Okwuchukwu,
who lives on Shinaba Street, in the Iyana Iba area
of Lagos, had some difficulties in his trade and
allegedly decided with his wife to raise some money
by selling the baby.
Punch Metro gathered that the Ibekwes had
contacted one Chinelo, who is still on the run, on
December 17, 2015, for the transaction.
It was learnt that Chinelo, who stayed in Ihiala,
Anambra State, paid the Ibekwes N400,000 ─
N250,000 to the father and N150,000 to the mother
of the baby.
It was gathered that the man, however, had a
quarrel with his wife after returning from his trip
to Anambra.
It was gathered that when he refused to give the
wife her share, she reported the matter to the
police.
She then fled the house after making the
report.
Okwuchukwu was, however, arrested and detained
at the Police Gender Unit, Ikeja, while police
operatives also arrested Chinelo’s husband in
Anambra State. The baby and Chinelo had yet to be
found.
While being paraded on Wednesday, Okwuchukwu
said he collected N400,000 from Chinelo in
exchange for his son with the full knowledge of his
wife.
He said, “Chinelo was to give me N400,000 for the
baby. My wife was the one who suggested that we
dispose of the baby to meet our business needs.
“But Chinelo gave me N250,000 for the baby when I
went to deliver him to her in Anambra State.
“When I returned, my wife and I quarrelled and
she ran away for three days. I did not know that
she went to report the matter to the police. She
was concerned with her own share of N150,000.
“I sell vehicle spare parts in Ladipo market.
“It was a lawyer who called me that my wife had
reported me to the police, and that I should come
and see her. When I went there, I was
arrested.
“I do not know the whereabouts of my son. I did
not know Chinelo would run away with my child.”
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai
Owoseni, who paraded the suspect, said the case
was undergoing “intense investigation.”