Tessy Obianua
A 17-year-old girl, Miss Tessy Obianua, has been nabbed by the Ondo State Command for allegedly selling her baby to a couple in Onitsha, Anambra State for N500,000.
Her action, according to the police, was necessitated by the influence of a specialised child trafficker, Mrs. Chibuzor Okoye, who convinced with her to sell the baby to Mr. and Mrs. Sunday Kalu, who were desperately looking for a baby.
While parading the suspects, the new State Commissioner for Police, Mrs. Hilda Ibifuro-Harrison, said five persons were involved in the case.
She said the police got a tip-off of the crime when Tessy’s father, Mr. Henry Obianu, who lives at Ogbese in Akure North Local Council of the state, reported to the police that her daughter, who was pregnant, was missing.
The new police boss stated that Obianu reported that Tessy ran away with her pregnancy in January last year but later re-appeared in May with neither the pregnancy nor the baby.
“Through investigation to Onitsha, the police arrested Okoye, at No. 3, Tonny Olisa Street, who specialised in child trafficking. It was Okoye, who sold the baby girl to the couple at No. 8, Uzogwu Street, Onitsha for the sum of N500,000.
“She claimed to have given Jude the sum of N200,000 out of which Jude claimed to have bought clothes and shoes for Tessy and also gave her N30,000. Mrs. Chibuzor, thereafter forced Tessy to sign an undertaking that she would never come back for the baby,” the commissioner stated.
Ibifuro-Harrison, however, urged parents to be wary of the antics of criminal elements, who disguise as neighbours around their wards.
The police investigation revealed that Tessy was lured to Onitsha by her father’s neighbour in Ogbese, simply identified as Mr. Jude Azuka.
It was further learnt that at a time Tessy was declared missing at home, she was taken to Onitsha by Azuka to Okoye’s house, who helped her to nurse her pregnancy until she delivered.Guardian