Metro
Four suspects arrested for alleged sales of babies
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Human Trafficking (NAPTIP) has arrested four people, including a federal official, in connection with allegations of selling and buying babies.
This is contained in a statement signed by the head of the agency’s press and public relations unit, Ms. Stella Nezan, on Tuesday in Abuja.
Nezan gave the names of the suspects as Ms. Wilson Erurom, a federal official, Mr. Marksoo Uzer, a middle-aged man who is also an employee of First Fertility Hospital, Makurdi, Benue, Albert Motemi and Gabriel Gav respectively.
She said the suspects were all arrested in Makurdi through the combined efforts of agents from NAPTIP and the Department of State Services (DSS).
The NAPTIP spokesperson said that during questioning the suspects, potential buyers said she contacted one of the suspects after listening to an infomercial on one of Yenagoa’s broadcast stations.
Nezan said the buyer said his link boasted in the ad for helping people get children through planting, in vitro fertilization or outright adoption.
According to the spokesperson for NAPTIP, potential buyers informed her link that she preferred outright adoption of a baby and then paid the sum of 500,000 naira for this purpose.
She said the woman recounted that after the safe delivery of the baby in question, she was called by her link to come to Makurdi to choose the baby, but only to be informed later that the surrogate had change of opinion.
Nezan said when the buyer moved back to Bayelsa the next day, she was arrested by DSS men and handed over to NAPTIP.
According to the spokesperson for NAPTIP, the investigation revealed that Mr. Marksoo Uzer was the mastermind of the illegal union.
She said Uzer also promised a baby to a Nigerian Civil Defense and Security Corps (NSCDC) officer after collecting the sum of N950,000 and later reneging on the deal.
Nezan said once the investigation is completed, the suspects will be brought to justice.
Responding to the development, the Director General of NAPTIP, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, appreciated the inter-agency collaboration between NAPTIP and DSS.
She advised Nigerians to always ensure due process is followed when faced with child adoption issues, promising the case would be fully investigated and brought before the courts. law courts.
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