The Delta State Police Command has arrested a 26-year-old mother, Rachael, for allegedly selling her two-week-old baby for ₦600,000 after claiming she could not afford to care for the child.
According to the police, the baby was ultimately sold for ₦4 million to a 42-year-old woman who sought to adopt a child, but the birth mother received only a fraction of the sum.
Paraded alongside two accomplices at the state Police Command headquarters, Rachael, a resident of Asaba, explained that she made the decision due to financial hardship. She stated that she was already raising another child and was struggling to provide for both.
“The father of the baby denied paternity, and I was left alone to care for the child,” she said. “I struggled during my pregnancy, doing menial jobs like cleaning people’s compounds.”
Rachael disclosed that she was introduced to a woman who promised to assist her. “The woman gave me ₦600,000 and told me to settle her, so I gave her ₦30,000,” she added.
Meanwhile, the intermediary involved in the transaction admitted to selling the child for ₦3.5 million but maintained that the mother willingly accepted her share of the money to start a business.
The 42-year-old woman who purchased the baby stated that she paid ₦4 million and was assured that the adoption process was legal. “I was told the documents were being processed,” she said.
The police have launched an investigation into the case, emphasizing that the sale of children is illegal and will be prosecuted accordingly.