Cross River: NAPTIP Intercepts Suspected Baby Traffickers, Rescues Newborn
By ARIT OTONG UBOK
THE National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has uncovered a suspected baby trafficking operation in Cross River State.
The agency’s Head of Operations in the state, Mr. Jacob Oba, disclosed this in Calabar on Monday.
According to him, investigators uncovered the alleged operation after intercepting women suspected of obtaining newborn babies through fraudulent pregnancy claims.
Oba said three women in Obubura allegedly claimed to have what they described as “cryptic pregnancies”. They reportedly told others that their pregnancies could not be detected.
However, he said investigations indicated that the women had allegedly arranged with midwives to obtain newborn babies.
Meanwhile, another woman from Akwa Ibom was allegedly involved in the theft and sale of a week-old baby girl.
The woman reportedly sold the child to one of the alleged buyers for ₦3 million.
Oba said the buyer and two other women were subsequently making arrangements to obtain additional babies when security personnel intercepted them.
Investigations, he added, established that the baby’s biological mother was in Akwa Ibom. That finding, according to him, confirmed the suspicion that the week-old child had been stolen.
The NAPTIP official further said the women were suspected of operating baby factories. However, he clarified that the particular baby involved in the case was allegedly not obtained from the facility linked to the suspects.
The investigation began after community members stopped a vehicle carrying the women and the baby.
Oba said the main buyer claimed to be the child’s mother. However, she reportedly could not breastfeed the baby when security personnel asked her to do so.
Consequently, the woman and the other suspects were taken for questioning.
Further interrogation allegedly led investigators to the suspected supplier of the baby. The supplier was subsequently arrested and reportedly confessed to selling the child.
Oba said NAPTIP arrested the suspects on 22 June, but delayed public disclosure to allow investigators to properly establish the facts surrounding the case.
He added that the matter would be taken to court, with further proceedings expected in October.
