Ini Billie, Uyo
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued a six-month-old baby sold for N600,000.
The child was recovered from an orphanage in Imo state during an operation last week following a tip-off by an informant.
It was gathered that the child’s mother, Emediong Asuquo, a teenager from Etinan local government area, Akwa Ibom State, sold off her child for N600,000 due to economic difficulties.
According to Asuquo, she and her boyfriend (father of the child) could not take care of the baby and so opted to keep the baby with anybody ready to take care of the child till she could fend for herself with the baby.
Asuquo said unfortunately, her friend and mastermind behind the sale, one Stella Asuquo, arranged for the child to be sold off in Abia state, and compelled her to sign a document indicating that she would not come back again for the child.
“I only needed somebody who could take care of my baby till my situation improves then I can get the baby back,” she said.
However, Asuquo said she was surprised when she learnt her baby was sold to somebody in Abia state by her friend Stella Effiong but did not give her proceeds from the sale.
It was after the baby was sold in Abia state, that the child was taken to an orphanage in Imo State, where the baby was rescued.
Speaking on why she arranged the sale of her friend’s child, Stella Asuquo, said she was moved by her friend’s unceasing complaints of lack of food to take care of herself and the baby, and the hostile nature of Emediong’s husband.
“Emediong usually comes to complain to me that she would stay for days without eating anything and her boyfriend always beat her without even providing any assistance for her and the baby,” she said.
She revealed that she travelled to Abia state with the baby’s mother to sell the baby for N600,000 and afterwards, Emediong directed her to keep her (Emediong’s) share of N300,00, pending when she would travel to learn a trade.
Confirming the rescue operation during the weekend in Uyo, Uyo Zonal Commander, NAPTIP, Mr Emmanuel Awhen, identified poverty as a major cause of human trafficking.
Awhen stated that the investigation into the case was still ongoing, adding that the agency is determined to stem the tide of trafficking in the state, and has been carrying out sensitization and enlightenment campaigns in public places including schools.
He called on the state government and other well-meaning Akwa Ibom people to assist the agency in feeding, training and empowering victims of human trafficking to settle down.
“We have been carrying out sensitization. We have carried out enlightenment campaigns in schools and marketplaces. We are also trying to collaborate with Akwa Ibom State task force on human trafficking by putting resources together to minimize the issue in the state.
“We go to schools to enlighten the students on what human trafficking is all about and how they can be lured.
“Human trafficking especially, the sale of babies is very high in Akwa Ibom state. In fact, during the December period, we embarked on a lot of enlightenment campaigns because that was the peak period when people came in to lure young ones out.
“We need resources to carry out the operation and go for investigation. We also need vehicles to go on operation. We need financial support from the government and other agencies to shelter, feed, train and empower those rescued trafficking victims,” he stated.