The Imo State Police Command through its Anti-kidnapping Squad has arrested a 50-year old woman, Anne Soronnade who allegedly bought a day-old baby boy for N600,000 in 2013.
Commissioner of Police, Mr Abdulmajid Ali said the suspect bought the baby in February, 2013 from one Mrs. Martina Obioha who hails from Amume Amajie in Isu Local Government Area of the state and runs a maternity home.
The mother of the child, one Blessing Ezigbo was said to have been sent out by her parents when they discovered she was pregnant. she later met one Madam Nnenna who accommodated her and took care of her until she was delivered of the baby.
when Ezigbo was delivered of the child,Madam Nnnena requested for N30,000 from her being the charge for taking care of her when she was pregnant.
Madam Nnenna took the child from the mother who went back to her parents at Okwuekpe Village in anticipation of raising the money but before Ezigbo’s return, Nnenna had sold the baby to Mrs Obioha who operates an illegal maternity centre.
Meanwhile Soronnade, mother of six girls had deposited the sum of N200,000 with Obioha since December 2012 with a promise to pay the balance when a baby boy was available. Ezigbo’s child eventually ended in up with her.
Ezigbo reported the case to Imo Security Network, a local security outfit which recovered the child from Soronnade. However, rather than hand the child over to his biological mother, the child was returned to the buyer allegedly after more money had changed hands.
Disappointed by the manner the Imo Security Network handled the matter, Ezigbo lodged a fresh complaint with the police, which swung into action and made some arrests. The police anti-kidnapping squad led by Supol Okocha Ndubueze arrested Soronnade and recovered the child after one year and one month while Obioha who sold the child is said to be at large.
The police then invited the mother of the child to the Anti-kidnapping Squad station to identify her child after one year and a month that the baby was sold.
The buyer Soronnade said, “ I am happily married . I have six girls but I was looking for a boy. I have visited all the motherless baby homes if I could adopt a baby boy but they all turned down my applications.
“My first daughter is 25 years old while my last child is 18 years old. I was desperate to have a baby boy. My husband never quarreled with me because I didn’t give him a male child but I needed a baby boy.
It is true that I had to pay an advance payment of N200,000 to Madam Martina Obioha who claimed to have a maternity home to get me a baby boy when it was available.
She sold the child to me in February 2013 after paying the balance. I took the baby home and my husband didn’t complain. I breastfed the baby and named him Chukwudim. It was one year later that the policemen from Anti-Kidnapping Squad came and arrested me in my house. It is only God that can deliver me from this mess,” she said amid tears.