How Police Officers, NSCDC Officials in Ebonyi Allegedly Connived to Cover Up Sale of Newborn Baby For N25 Million

 

The family of Mr Nweze Philip Obasi of Umuobuna Etiti Uburu in the Ohaozara Local Government area, Ebonyi State has filed a petition against four officers of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the state, over an alleged conspiracy, abduction, child trafficking, unlawful arrest, and compounding felony.

The officials include SP Loveth Uche, W/Insp. Maureen Otum, Inspector Valentine Akam, and Mrs. Nneka Akam.

In the petition addressed to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Annex Enugu, which SaharaReporters obtained on Tuesday, the officers were alleged to be involved in the abduction and trafficking of a baby boy born to Susannah Nwanneka Nweze.

The family in the petition filed through their solicitors, Nzogbu Kingsley and Abel Ikeduchi Oru, Esquries, of Richbeke & Associates, claimed that their daughter, Susannah Nwanneka Nweze was abducted by a known Afikpo businessman and taken to an obscure place at the police clinic Abakaliki by W/Inspector Maureen Otum through the directives and instructions of the Officer in-charge of Juvenile and Women Centre (JWC), SP Loveth Uche.

The petitioner alleged that the officers conspired and sold the baby boy for N25million, giving Susannah, the mother a token of N700,000 and sent her out with warning that if she revealed what happened, she would be eliminated.

The petitioners also demanded that the officials produce the sold baby and invite everyone involved in the alleged child trafficking.

“Compelling the culprits to produce the sold baby henceforth and to invite everyone directly or indirectly involved in the said criminal escapades,” they urged.

Meanwhile, efforts to speak with the Ebonyi State Police Command were unsuccessful as the Command’s spokesperson DSP Ukandu Joshua could not be reached.

The Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC Ebonyi State, Emmanuella confirmed that Miss Susannah Nwanneka Nweze was arrested by the Command but could not provide details of the case.

She instead chose to deny the allegation that NSCDC had not invited the police officers involved in the stealing and child trafficking of the newborn baby.